Lost Boys
by pukingranebows
Summary: Blaine runs away and finds "Liza's Home for Lost Boys," a home run by Kurt and his father for those run down, down on their luck, or who just need a place to stay. AU! with Niff and Brittana
1. Runaway

**Aloha! Guess who's back with a brand new fanfic? This kid! *woot* And I completely promise to do everything in my power to update on time this time :)**

**The rating may go higher later I'm not really sure yet**

**Enjoy :)**

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CHAPTER ONE  
Runaway

The trees rushed by the closed window; leaves blurring into shaky lines, trunks blending together, details and colour getting lost as pale eyes awakened into the oncoming darkness.

The décor matched Blaine's mood as his fingers tapped restlessly against his thigh, his other hand holding his head as he stared resolutely out the window.

This was such a bad idea.

Like _really_ bad.

Which was definitely saying something since Blaine had had his fair share of bad ideas. Like that time when he'd thought it would be fun to jump off of his shed onto a trampoline into the pool, except he'd over shot the distance and ended up breaking his right leg. Or when he'd asked Heath to go to the Sadie Hawkins dance with him and by the end of the night he was lying in a back alley praying to god that the ambulance would come before he died.

Blaine knew firsthand what a bad idea was, and this, _this _was by far the stupidest thing he'd ever done.

Four hours ago he'd had a home. He'd had a room, and an older brother, and friends, and a massive closet. Now he had enough clothes to last a week, his guitar, his laptop, a couple thousand dollars, and a one way trip to the middle of nowhere.

He was the biggest idiot in the entire world.

His life wasn't even that bad really, his parents were perfect, his brother was the perfect poster boy eldest child, and his future was to be just as perfectly, and he supposed, that was the problem. It was _too_ perfect, and he'd had no choice in the matter. The sad thing was everyone meant well, he was sure of it, but their kindness was like a hunter's tranquilizer gun. It knocked him out and stuck him in a cage before he could even process what was happening. His future was no longer his and the pressure of it was choking him, making the cage impossible to stay in any longer.

So he ran.

And now he was second guessing that brash decision.

He sighed and brought his attention back inside the train, eyeing the ragtag group that sat in the same car as him. Was he the only one running right now? Did these strangers actually have places to go when the train reached its final destination? Or were they just as lost and desperate as him; running from an inevitability that never lost speed, no matter how far or fast he moved.

Blaine shook his head and looked outside the window again, nerves shaking through him in time with the rumble of the train. He didn't even know where the train stopped. It could be a city or a town, or all the way across the country; Blaine _really _didn't know. But he did know that his parents were going to have a fit when they realized he was gone.

Oh god.

He groaned and put his head in his hands as a wave of panic rushed over him. They were going to flip out! They'd probably call the cops and his face would be on milk cartons and they'd never forgive him for betraying their trust.

He let out a deep breath and looked back to the window, the trees now indistinguishable figures in the inky blackness of the sky.

He'd call them once he settled in somewhere so that they don't worry. The police didn't file reports until 48 hours anyway, and because of his note they'd know he wasn't kidnapped.

But if they asked him to come home, he'd have to refuse.

This trip, this impromptu vacation, it wasn't for the want of nothing.

Blaine exhaled.

He'd give himself the summer.

One season.

104 days.

And if he can't find what he's looking for, then he'd go home and accept whatever's waiting for him; he'd accept the future he had been dealt with no complaints.

But if he did find it, the missing _something_, then he'd go forward from there. One day at a time. One foot in front of the other until everything made sense again.

But until then…

Blaine closed his eyes.

* * *

He awoke with a groan, wincing as he stretched and took in his surroundings. It was still dark, but the train had stopped moving. The last stragglers packed up their things, readying themselves for the next part to their journeys.

Blaine sighed and nodded to himself; it was time for him to do the same. Standing, he picked up his duffel bag and guitar, slinging the instrument onto his back before slinking the duffel bag over his shoulder and moving to the doors. He took a deep breath, steadying himself in his half-hearted affirmation before stepping out into the cool night air.

The night was calm; stars twinkled dully as the moon hung low in the sky. Fireflies buzzed lazily on the outskirts of the stop that consisted of nothing more than a slightly raised cement platform and a streetlight.

So this is where the tracks had taken him.

Blaine shook his head but continued to look around anyway, searching for an information booth, or a street sign—something to give him some clue as to where he was. He didn't luck out though as he twirled around in a circle, looking for some sign. He really didn't want to wander around a strange town alone at night with bare cash and a guitar on him. Blaine already knew what it felt like to beg for his life, he really didn't want to do it again.

He sighed and leaned dejectedly against the lamppost, his head hanging slightly as he weighed his options. He could give up now, just call home and let his parents know he was coming back. He could stay under this lamppost until somebody found him, if he didn't get mugged first. Or he could suck it up and wander around, get to know the town he'd be spending the rest of the summer in.

"Excuse me," a voice said breaking Blaine out of his thoughts. He looked up and met gazes with a pretty blue-eyed girl. She couldn't have been older than him with blonde hair that was up in a high pony-tail and a smile on her face that Blaine couldn't help think looked a little bit vacant.

"Hi," he replied warily, his guard going up instantly.

"Are you lost?" she asked cocking her head.

Blaine hesitated, not wanting to admit to a stranger that he was lost. But at the same time she screamed harmless to him, and he doubted the slim girl could take him in a fight. "A little bit," he admitted finally.

"Oh," she said smiling broadly. "Well I'm lost too. Can I stay with you until they come and find me?"

Blaine paused not sure what to say. "Umm…"

"Please?" she asked her smile faltering as her lips started to tremble. "It's really late and I don't want to be by myself."

Blaine sighed nodding his consent. "Of course you can stay with me," he said offering her a small smile. After all, he couldn't call himself a gentleman if he left this poor girl on the streets by herself.

She squealed and pulled him into a hug, surprising Blaine with her strength. He faltered for a second before hugging her back lightly, patting her back awkwardly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she squealed happily in his ear, her breath hot against his neck.

"You're welcome," he replied awkwardly.

She let him go, still bouncing happily as she stepped back. "My name's Britney by the way," she said holding out her hand as if the hug wasn't enough.

Blaine took it limply, still not trusting the girl.

"Blaine."

Britney cocked her head, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Blaine," she said processing the name in her head. "Blaine. Bl_aine_. bLaine."

"Is something wrong?" he asked crossing his arms.

"No," she replied cheerily shaking her head. "I just like your name. It's unique. Like your hair." She leaned closer and pulled one of Blaine's loose curls, giggling as it sprung back into place. Blaine frowned, instantly feeling self-conscious of the wild mane that he'd been cursed to call his hair.

"Aw dolphin," she said frowning. "Don't be embarrassed, your hair is beautiful."

Blaine raised a triangular eyebrow at the strange girl in front of him. "Dolphin?" he asked with a hint of exasperation.  
"It's what you are, isn't it?" She asked cocking her head again.

Blaine laughed nervously shaking his head. "No," he said as if talking to a small child. "I'm a human."

The girl rolled her eyes. "I _know_ that," she replied. "But you're gay, and dolphins are just gay sharks."

Blaine stared at her mouth agape for a few moments before he burst into laughter. The deep laughs doubled him over and he held onto the post for support before he crumbled to the ground completely.

"What's so funny?" Britney asked looking at Blaine like he was crazy.

The boy in question just shook his head, wiping his eyes absently as he tried to regain control of his breathing. "N-nothing," he answered righting himself. "You're very right."

Britney grinned broadly patting Blaine's head. "I thought so. I know a dolphin when I see one."

Blaine shook his head again, the smile still playing on the corner of his mouth. "So who are you waiting for?" he asked after a beat of silence.

"The gang," she stated simply, looking off into the darkness as if they would just appear upon being summoned.

Blaine balked, freezing where he stood. "What do you mean, _gang_?"

Britney shrugged turning back to him. "A group of people?" she asked cocking her head. "That's what Mike always tells me to say."

Britney turned away from him again, leaning this way and that way as she searched the night. Blaine paled as he mouthed the name 'Mike' silently. With Blaine's luck, Mike was probably a massive bald biker dude who was Britney's sugar daddy and the leader of the "gang." How did Blaine get so lucky?

"Look," he started, readjusting the guitar on his back. "I think that I—"

"There they are!" Britney yelled. She promptly started jumping up and down and waving her hands like a maniac. A few seconds later Blaine saw flashlight heads moving around, their light piercing through the darkness. One of them waved back and Britney stopped jumping, but she still bounced on her toes energetically, her hands clasped together in anticipation. Blaine debated leaving, allowing Britney to deal with whatever people she found in the darkness, but once again his gentleman nature forced him to stay and make sure that she was okay, and that her "gang" wasn't too shady.

A tall Asian boy stepped out of the cover of the night, the rest of the lights staying dormant in the shadows as he enveloped Britney in a massive hug. She giggled and wrapped her legs around his waist, laughing as he spun her around. Eventually he put her back on the ground and gave her a quick once over, making sure she was alright.

"Don't you ever get lost like that again," he reprimanded pointing a finger dangerously close to her face.  
Britney pouted, her lips trembling. "I know," she said lowering the Asian's hand as she spoke. "I just got distracted for a second and when I looked around again you guys were gone."

"We were worried sick!" he said exasperated putting his hand on her shoulder. "You could have gotten hurt." Britney shrugged.

"Blaine looked after me."

The boy's face scrunched up for a second before he finally noticed Blaine standing an awkward distance away. The stranger nodded towards him, "This Blaine?"

"Yup," Britney nodded with a smile.

The Asian took a threatening step towards Blaine before smiling and holding out a hand. "Thanks for doing me a solid, Blaine," he said eagerly. Shocked, Blaine took the hand on auto-pilot, noticing the firm grip and perfect-length of the hand contact. "I don't know what I'd do if anything bad happened to her."

"So these are bad sorts then?" Blaine asked instead of acknowledging the stranger's recognition. He still had no idea where he was, but if the stranger was so worried Blaine figured he should have some idea what he was walking into.

The boy gave him a strange look before laughing softly over his words. "No," he replied. "But it doesn't take a bad area to have bad people who'd do bad things to a vulnerable girl if given the chance."

"I wouldn't call her vulnerable," Blaine scoffed. "She's stronger than she looks."

The stranger automatically got defensive, his easy smile falling off of his face as he gave Blaine a judging once over. "How would you know?"

Blaine shrugged, feigning nonchalance though his muscles were tensed ready to defend himself if the stranger lost control.

"I hugged him," Britney said before Blaine could answer. "But don't worry," she continued seemingly unaware of the budding tension. "I kept it P.G. He's a dolphin so he wouldn't want anything else anyway."

The stranger relaxed at that, nodding to himself as he seemed to have a quick internal debate before plastering his easy smile back on his face. "So Blaine," he said. "I can't help but feel the urge to repay you somehow."

Blaine shook his head, his hand wagging with it. "No reward will be necessary," he replied honestly. At this point, he just wanted to find a motel and have a nice hot shower before crashing. Finding himself could come later.

"Oh come on," the Asian boy goaded, "there must be something that you want."

"Well…" Blaine started. "If you could point me in the direction of the nearest motel I'd appreciate it."

The stranger cocked his head, giving Blaine another once over. The curly haired boy had never been checked out so much in his life, and the way this was going, he didn't want to. It felt like being a pot roast being prodded in the oven, or like he was naked with nothing around to cover himself in. The boy had soul searching eyes and Blaine was worried at what he would see.

"And your name would be nice," Blaine added with an awkward laugh.

The stranger relaxed his intense gaze and laughed shaking his head. "Goodness, you must think I'm so rude. Sorry," he apologized. "My name is Mike, Mike Chang, and the nearest motel is three blocks in that direction."

Mike pointed to the left in the opposite direction in which he and the other flashlight wielders had entered form. Blaine let out a relieved sigh because this was the Mike Britney had been talking about. He was nothing like the Mike of Blaine's imagination and he thanked God for that small mercy.

"Thank you," Blaine said with a small smile. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem," Mike shrugged.

"Well bye," Blaine said doing an awkward half bow thing which he mentally berated himself for as soon as it was executed.

"Bye dolphin," Britney replied as Blaine walked past. They both watched him leave, eyes trained on his back when the cement beneath his feet turned to grass and then back to cement again. He hit the sidewalk and paused turning to look behind him.

Mike and Britney were gone.

Blaine shook his head and didn't linger, pushing forward into the cool claws of the night.

This would be an interesting summer. He could feel it.

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	2. The Stranger

**And I'm back!**

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CHAPTER TWO  
The Stranger

Three blocks to the left, a dead end, a right turn, another right turn, and a left turn later had Blaine ready to kill Mike.

The motel hadn't been there, in fact, no building had been there so Blaine had gone an extra two blocks only to come face to face with a dead end. With no other choice, he had gone back on himself and now he was properly and truly lost. The area didn't look remotely familiar, the houses were getting shabbier by the minute, and he swore he could see the night getting darker in ominous warning.

Once again the urge to call his parents settled in but he ignored it, continuing forward in the hopes of finding the motel or at least somebody that he could trust. He wasn't going to let some punk "gang" member send him running home, the night wasn't over yet.

Blaine turned another corner, his eyes watching his feet as he tried to remember the path he'd taken to get here when the sound of laughter wrenched him out of his thoughts. His head snapped up and his eyes narrowed automatically as he heard high pitched familiar laughter amongst the chatter.

One of the gang members nudged another before pointing at Blaine with a cigarette in their hand. Blaine was too far away to determine which ones were Mike and Britney, but he was also too close to turn back the way he'd came. He'd have to keep walking so as not to show fear. Fear would give them reason to attack.

Taking a quick breath, Blaine steeled himself, straightening his back and squaring his shoulders as he continued forward, watching the faces as they came into view. There were six of them in total; three boys and three girls. The one who had pointed him out was tall with light brown hair that was surprisingly coiffed in a very prep boy style. He had a light smattering of freckles on his face and green eyes that raked Blaine's body like he was something to eat. A smirk played on the boys' face that made Blaine want to smack it off.

Blaine didn't like him.

The one he was talking to was slightly shorter with messy brown hair and eyes that were a darker green than 'Sir Smirkson'. He was donned in a leather jacket and jeans, his face stone as he stared at Blaine. Next to him was a startlingly thin girl with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. Her arms were wound around herself as she laughed at something that the blonde haired girl that wasn't Britney, said.

Britney and Mike themselves were standing on the other side of Sir Smirkson, Mike deliberately looking everywhere but at Blaine.

"Hey," Sir Smirkson said as soon as Blaine was in front of the group. The girls stopped laughing and turned to regard Blaine, simultaneous judgmental looks donning their faces. Blaine resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he kept on walking, ignoring the ruffians.

"Excuse me," Sir Smirkson continued pushing off of the fence he was leaning against to follow Blaine. "I was talking to you."

Blaine looked over his shoulder eyebrow raised. "And I was ignoring you."

A hand shot out and grabbed Blaine's wrist, pulling him to a stop. Blaine's heart stopped and instincts and training kicked in. He violently turned his hand to the right, the force of it breaking the thug's hold on him. He stepped back, stopping himself from punching the kid in the stomach and putting him into a sleeper hold, and relaxed into a natural standing position eyeing the group angrily.

"That was rude," Sir Smirkson said rubbing his hand.

"As was grabbing me," Blaine retorted. "As was your friend Mike here giving me the wrong directions so that I'd have to wander these stupid streets all night." Mike lowered his eyes upon being called out on his betrayal but didn't say anything.

"Aw," Smirkson cooed. "Don't blame him; he was just doing his job."

"What?" Blaine asked tilting his head. "Screw with the new kid? That's a pretty pathetic job—a pathetic job for a pathetic person I guess."

The stone faced boy who was carefully watching the scene suddenly stepped forward. "Don't." He said in what Blaine was pretty sure was a growl.

Blaine shrugged, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Sorry," he said. "Excuse me if I'm just the tiniest bit rude, you see, I have the feeling that I've been set up and that really makes this entire situation incredibly awkward."

"Then allow me to break the ice," Smirkson said with a grin. "My name is Sebastian, this here," he pointed to the stoic boy, "Is Hunter. You already know Mike and Britney and these to lovely ladies are Marley," he pointed to the brunette, "And Kitty."

Marley gave him a one handed wave, offering him a sad smile. He didn't return it and turned his attentions back to Sebastian instead.

"How fascinating," Blaine replied dryly.

"Blaine…" Mike started.

"You know what?" Blaine put his hands in his pocket shrugging. "What do you guys want?"

Sebastian reciprocated the shrug taking a step backwards. "What makes you think we want anything?"

Blaine gave in to his urge to roll his eyes this time, his hands squeezing into fists in his pockets. "Please don't take me for an idiot; it'll be the stupidest choice you ever make."

The smile fell off of Sebastian's face and he narrowed his eyes. "Is that a threat?"

Blaine shook his head closing his eyes as he sighed internally, honestly, only _he _would get himself into this situation. Not even two hours since his feet hit solid ground and he was already being harassed. "I'm not an idiot, remember?"

Hunter chuckled nodding his head, the first ounce of emotion he'd shown. "Look," he said, cutting off Sebastian who shot golden daggers at him. "Mike just noticed that you were new," Blaine scoffed but Hunter kept on speaking. "So we just wanted to offer you a place to stay."

Blaine froze, staring at Hunter like he was insane, which he probably was. "Are you kidding me?"

Mike shook his head. "No," he said emphatically. "I just didn't know how to ask you."

"So you gave me bad directions instead," Blaine deadpanned.

Mike spoke looking apologetic. "There is no motel around here; I just didn't think you'd believe me."

"I don't believe you now," Blaine retorted before looking back at Hunter and the group as a whole. "Look," he began. "I appreciate the invitation but I'm going to have to say no."

Hunter shrugged taking a step back, "alright."

"But he's right," Sebastian said following Hunter's lead and taking a distancing step away from Blaine. "There really isn't a motel around here."

Blaine nodded. "I'll take my chances, thanks."

Sebastian shrugged turning his back. "Whatever, your choice."

Blaine rolled his eyes at the sassy boy's retreating form, wrinkling his nose as he pulled out another cigarette. Blaine turned his attention to Hunter, who just nodded his head before walking back to the rest of the group. Marley waved at Blaine again, and this time he reciprocated but he didn't smile.

Mike looked disappointed and regretful when Blaine turned his back on the ragtag group and continued walking again, not even glancing behind him. Mike watched Blaine's back until he turned the corner and disappeared into the night.

* * *

The fact that Blaine was seriously beginning to regret not accepting the gang's proposal should say something about how lost he was. Nothing looked the same…again, but he was past the rundown houses and was getting into what he assumed to be the nicer part of town.

Blaine hoped that he'd be able to find a store or something; someplace with an authority figure that he could trust. But his feet were dragging across the ground and he was barely able to keep his eyes open. Sleep was taking him and he was nervous that he would pass out if he didn't find a place to rest.

He carried on for a couple more blocks, the cool night air the only thing keeping him semi-aware until he came across a small park. It was cute, with two benches, a sandbox, a swing set, and an entire play set with a tunnel and a twirly slide and a fireman's pole.

Blaine could practically hear his feet sigh in relief so he relented and walked towards the jungle gym, eyeing it meticulously for the best place to sleep.

"I'd go with the tunnel," a voice said from behind Blaine.

The brunette boy started and twirled around to find the speaker. A teenage boy stared at him from his perch on the swing, his Doc Marten clad foot rocking him gently in time with the breeze. He looked at Blaine expectantly, staring up at him with the most impossible eye colour Blaine had ever seen. They were an incredible mix between blue and green; Blaine could imagine them switching between the two depending on the teen's mood. His hair was coiffed to perfection and his head was tilted slightly as he waited for Blaine to answer.

"Umm…" Blaine replied eloquently.

"You're looking for a place to sleep," the boy stated inclining his head towards the play set. "I'd advise you on the tunnel, we're prone to impromptu rain storms in these parts and it'll keep you dry."

Blaine stared at the other teen mouth agape. The boy on the swing rolled his eyes, a smile forming on the edge of his lips.

"I'm sorry," he said pushing himself off of the swing and standing up. This brought him even closer to Blaine who just continued to stare at him like he'd never seen another human before.

"I'm overstepping aren't I?" The teen looked sad for a second before taking a step back. "I should probably go."

"No!" Blaine yelled inappropriately loud, blushing as soon as the words were out of his mouth. "I mean, please don't."

The stranger's half smile grew and he inclined his head towards Blaine in agreement. The stranger didn't say anything else and Blaine couldn't remember what words were, so they just stood there staring at each other, the paler boy's smile falling every minute.

After about five minutes, the paler boy raised a singular eyebrow and crossed him arms looking at Blaine like he was crazy. "So do you speak?"

"Your eyes!" Blaine blurted resisting the urge to smack himself as soon as they left his mouth.

"I have eyes, yes," the pale boy agreed the smile creeping back onto his face.

"Sorry," Blaine shook his head, his loose curls bouncing. "They're just like nothing I've ever seen before."

"In a good way I hope," the boy laughed sitting back into the swing he'd preciously vacated. He gestured to the other one, so Blaine shrugged off his duffle bag and guitar before sitting next to the boy who apparently made Blaine turn into a blurting idiot.

"Yes," Blaine said when he was settled. "In a good way."

The stranger harrumphed quietly to himself, before pushing off and swinging his legs to gain more height. Blaine watched him, awestruck at his grace for a moment before the boy looked at him mid-flight smiling broadly.

"Well don't just sit there," the boy laughed kicking himself even higher. "Swing with me!"

Blaine complied with the boy's order, running backwards to give himself more lift before kicking his legs off the ground. He felt the air rush around his face before being jerked backwards, now swinging downwards, opposite to the stranger who was flying high in the air.

Blaine found himself smiling as he and the effervescent boy got into a rhythm, swinging silently together high into the night sky. He didn't know how long they swung for nor did he really care, because for those care free moments, he was simply free. There was no worry and no responsibility dragging him down. It was just him and the stranger flying as high as the swings could take them.

His smile broadened.

This is what he was looking for.

* * *

Slowly, the strengths of their kicks lessened. The two boys slowly came down from their little high, their feet becoming one with the ground again.

Blaine got to his feet first, shakily standing, his breathing slightly ragged through the giant smile on his face. The stranger followed him, much more stable, but a similar smile lighting his face. Blaine turned to him and met his heavy gaze before sticking out his hand.

"Hi," he said slightly redundantly. "I'm Blaine."

The stranger rolled his eyes before taking the outstretched hand in his.

"Kurt."

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	3. Lost Boys

**Shout out to my amazing Beta Jennifer, because this entire fic would be nothing without her and her amazingness! She's wheelsjustkeeponturning on tumblr :)**

**Enjoy C:**

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CHAPTER THREE  
Lost Boys

"So," Kurt said letting go of Blaine's hand.

"So?" Blaine prompted, the small wisps of a smile playing on the tips of his mouth.

"What's your story?" Kurt asked curiously as he took a step away from Blaine and the swing set, treading backwards towards the main part of the playground.

"My story?" Blaine questioned incredulously.

Kurt threw his arms out to the side, still backtracking.

"Why are you here, Blaine?" He asked, regarding Blaine curiously.

"This town is less than desirable."

Blaine shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets. "I'm travelling."

Kurt scoffed. "Travelling? Really? So you came to Lima, _Ohio_?"

Blaine shrugged again not really sure what to say. He opted for watching Kurt instead, who, in turn, never took his eyes off of Blaine; staring at him as if he was some puzzle he was trying to figure out.

When Kurt reached the monkey bars, he flicked his gaze upwards, smiling slightly before stretching his arms and grabbing the cool metal in his hands. His slender fingers wrapped around the pole, before he dropped all his weight and crossed his feet so that they weren't touching the ground. Without swinging, Kurt raised his legs in front of him until he could loop them around the vacant bar in front of him and hang off of it.

He smiled as he looked at Blaine upside down. The brunette was still standing by the swings, looking amused at Kurt's antics.

"You going to join me?" Kurt called reaching his hands out towards Blaine. "Don't leave me hanging here."

Blaine rolled his eyes not making any effort to move.

"Oh come on," Kurt pouted wiggling his fingers. "I even made a pun."

"I would," Blaine responded finally moving towards the hanging boy. "But I am so tired I think I'm seeing two of you." He stopped directly in front of Kurt, twisting his head so that Kurt looked right side up. The pale boy scrutinized Blaine's face quickly, before giving Blaine a light push to make him take a few steps back. Pulling himself back upright, Kurt grabbed onto the bars and shimmied through the gap until he was sitting on top of them.

He looked down at Blaine accusingly.

"Why are you here Blaine?"

Blaine shrugged. "Does there have to be a reason?"

"This is life," Kurt responded. "There's always a reason."

"Well maybe I haven't found it yet."

Blaine lazily raised his hand above his head, his fingertips tracing the outline of the bars. He took a few steps, hands caressing the smooth metal before he stopped, dropping his hands to the side. He bowed his head and sighed heavily, the edges of sleep blurring his senses.

The sound of feet hitting the ground made Blaine turn around. Kurt was looking at the boy sympathetically with a look of resolution on his face. "Rest," he said gesturing towards the tunnel. "But don't go anywhere; I'll see you in the morning."

"You're coming back?"

"What can I say?" Kurt replied, crossing his arms. "You intrigue me."

A smile flickered on Blaine's face but he repressed it, opting instead to ask, "So there really isn't a motel here?"

Kurt shook his head an amused smile on his face. "Sorry, but no. You're in Lima; the only visitors we get are the relatives who secretly hate us."

Blaine laughed shaking his head. "I guess I owe Mike an apology then."

Kurt froze, his impossibly coloured eyes turning to ice at the mention of the name. "What did you say?"

Blaine cocked his head at Kurt, furrowing his brow as he tried to the read the guarded expression on Kurt's face. "I owe Mike an apology?"

"How do you know him?" Kurt demanded taking a heated step forward. "Tell me everything."

"I…"

Kurt shook his head, stepping away from Blaine. He put his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again. "Did you meet the entire gang?" he asked, the ice gone from his face, the emotion now traded with concern.

Blaine couldn't find words in the midst of Kurt's emotional whiplash so he just nodded, not sure why Kurt had been so angry. The gang must have been worse than Blaine thought.

"Did they offer you a place to stay?"

Blaine nodded again, watching as Kurt frowned. The pale boy opened his mouth as if to say something before closing it, shaking his head, and speaking.

"Go to sleep, Blaine," he ordered. "I'll see you in the morning."

"But—"

Kurt gave Blaine's shoulder a light push cutting off all argument. "Go. And promise me no matter what, you won't go with them."

Blaine nodded. "I…okay. May I ask why?"

Kurt sighed tapping his fingers against his thigh. "They're bad news."

Blaine rolled his eyes but decided not to push; he was too tired to deal with this anyway. "Okay, sure, whatever, thanks. Night, I guess."

Kurt nodded, regarding Blaine carefully as the curly-haired boy walked away from him, dropping his belongings outside of the tunnel. He turned back to Kurt who continued watching him, his eyes glowing brightly in the moonlight. Kurt smiled a sad smile at him before Blaine turned back to the tunnel and shimmied in, grabbing his duffel bag to use as a pillow.

It was a tight fit, but luckily for him, Blaine wasn't a big guy. He crawled into the fetal position and closed his eyes, drifting on the edge of sleep. But before he could properly lose himself in sleep's comforting embrace, he heard feet treading outside of the tunnel. They stopped for a brief moment before retreating again, their sound getting soaked up by the darkness.

He waited a few seconds before crawling over his duffel bag and looking outside. Kurt was gone; the only remainder of his presence the still softly swinging swing and the complete confusion on Blaine's face. But Blaine assumed the footsteps had to have been him because there, on Blaine's guitar case was a single white origami crane with open wings. Blaine smiled at it before picking it up with tentative fingers. Bringing it closer to his face he examined it slowly, turning it over on itself before putting it right way up again. It took him a moment before he noticed the small cursive writing that encompassed both wings, each wing holding a different phrase.

'For the "Traveller".'

Blaine scoffed at the quotation marks around the title but kept on reading.

'Open when in need.'

Blaine scoffed for the second time, but didn't hesitate to open the object, raising a brow as he read the words written in the same pretty handwriting as the words on the wings.

'Liza's Home for Lost Boys  
235 Birch Street'

Blaine cocked his head, not sure what to make of the address. He shook his head and crawled back into the tunnel, crumpling the paper as he stuck it into his pocket. He was too tired to deal with this, too tired to deal with any more stress or the random people this town had to offer.

He was _tired._

In the morning he'd figure everything out. But until then…

Sleep.

* * *

Blaine awoke groggily, knowing as soon as he opened his eyes that he hadn't had enough sleep. He groaned and stretched his limbs as far as he could in the enclosed space, smiling as they popped and stretched; warming themselves up for the day.

Pushing his duffel bag out first, Blaine clambered out of the tunnel, blinking at the early morning sun. It hung low in the sky, its heat but a gentle tease of the intensity Blaine was sure to come. It was early. He couldn't have slept for more than a couple of hours.

He sighed again and ran a hand over his face, trying to rid the remnants of sleep from his head. Blinking some more, he took a step forward, instinctively taking a quick glance to make sure his guitar was still there; thankfully it was, and he released a quick breath of relief letting go of the quick panic that had overtaken him. There were few things in the world that were more precious to him than that guitar, and if he'd lost it on his first night out he didn't know what he'd do.

He frowned slightly as thoughts of his guitar lead to thoughts of his brother which drifted to thoughts of his parents.  
They must be worried sick.

"Ugh," Blaine huffed, walking away from the tunnel towards the monkey bars Kurt had occupied the night before. A small smile broke across his face at the memory of the boy. He barely knew Kurt, but already Blaine could gather that he was something else entirely and whatever he was, it made Blaine smile.

He wouldn't say that he had a crush, he wasn't one to fall that fast. But the effervescent boy definitely fascinated Blaine. He just wanted to know everything about him, and possibly make studying Kurt's eyes a proper scientific study, because oh my goodness they were so gorgeous.

Shaking his head out of his thoughts, Blaine copied Kurt's previous movement and grabbed onto the monkey bars, pulling himself up and shimmying through the hole until he was sitting on top of the set.

His feet swam gently in the air, they made small circles that Blaine watched for a while; its calming movement lulled his roaring thoughts until they were naught more than quiet whispers.

Leaning back completely, he spread his arms and legs so that they swam in the air, rocking in time with his breathing. Blaine closed his eyes and let the all the senses of the morning wash over him. He felt the gentle push of the awakening summer sun, and the early silence that accompanied nocturnal creatures finally going to rest. The cool air wrapped around him, and the soft rustle of the breeze in the leaves relaxed his muscles. A wistful smile at the simple beauty of the morning washed over him.

Before he knew it he was falling back asleep.

* * *

Blaine awoke peacefully, the soft drone of June bugs carrying him out of sleep's cradling arms. He'd somehow managed to curl into a fetal position with one hand extended over the edge of the bars. He blinked his eyes open and started slightly when he was met with Kurt's bright, impossible coloured eyes.

"Morning," Kurt said with a smirk. He had one hand gently placed in Blaine's outstretched one, rubbing small circles into the skin. Blaine smiled—he couldn't help himself. He was still delirious from sleep, but waking up to those eyes was something he could get used to.

"Hi," he mumbled through his sleepy voice. Using the hand that Kurt wasn't holding on to, Blaine rubbed his eye and yawned, resisting the urge to stretch so that he wouldn't fall and embarrass himself.

"I'm about 98% certain I told you to sleep in the tunnel," Kurt said cocking his head slightly with a twinkle in his eye. "Rainstorms and the like."

Blaine shrugged, wanting to move but not wanting to do anything that would prompt Kurt to let go of his hand. "I'm a rebel," Blaine stage whispered with an over dramatic wink. "Didn't you know?"

Kurt stepped backward, letting go of Blaine's hand anyway, rolling his eyes. "I did," he nodded. "Your homelessness gave it away."

Blaine laughed, shaking his head before carefully getting to his feet. Making sure he had a stable stance on top of the bars, he raised his arms over his head and stretched, smiling once again at the comforting feeling of his muscles stretching in his back. Blaine had never known he could miss a bed so much, but he vowed to himself he'd find one for himself to sleep in tonight. No more playgrounds for him. No matter what interesting characters he'd meet because of it.

Satisfied that his body was properly awoken, Blaine sat on the bars again, before dropping through the hole and landing on his feet. Kurt quirked a brow, so Blaine bowed with a dramatic arm wave. Kurt smiled at Blaine's antics with a look on his face that could only be described as endearment.

The pale boy shook his head before speaking. "Go get your stuff. We're going."

Blaine righted himself, his smile falling a little bit. "Where are we going?"

Kurt shrugged. "To breakfast," he said. "We need to talk."

"Oh god!" Blaine fake cried. "Are you breaking up with me?!"

Kurt rolled his eyes again before making a shooing motion towards Blaine's stuff. The hazel eyed boy grinned but submitted, quickly grabbing his duffel bag and guitar, slinging them over his shoulders before going back to the taller boy.

"You have everything?" Kurt asked when Blaine reached him.

Blaine nodded giving himself a quick pat over. "Yup," he answered when he finished the search. Kurt opened his mouth like he was going to ask something else before snapping it shut. "Good, let's go."

"So where are we going?" Blaine asked a few minutes into the walk.

"I already told you," Kurt replied. "Breakfast."

Blaine rolled his eyes. "I didn't know breakfast was a place now."

Kurt looked at him, giving Blaine a mischievous smile. "You're in Lima now, Blaine. You may as well have flown to Neverland."

"So living here I'll never grow up?"

"If that is your dream," Kurt responded. "But somehow I don't think that's why you flew here."

Blaine shrugged, not sure he was ready for the direction this conversation was heading. "I just followed the tracks," he said looking down. He walked like this for a few more feet before his forehead bumped (rather painfully) into Kurt's chest.  
Blaine looked up curiously, wondering why the boy had stopped. He took a hesitant step back, cocking his head at Kurt's scrutinizing expression.

"What?" he asked self-consciously.

"'Pan, who and what art thou?'"

Blaine furrowed his brow, taking a second to remember the reply before responding. "'I'm youth, I'm joy. I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg.'"

Kurt shook his head slowly, seemingly mystified. "Blaine, who and what are you?"

Blaine shrugged sticking his hands in his pockets. His fingers touched a crumpled piece of paper.

He knew how to answer Kurt's question.

"I'm a lost boy."

* * *

**Questions, comments, concerns? Review! :)**


	4. Conversations

**So sorry for missing a week! I was horribly sick last week and writing was just not an option. This chapter was kind of iffy because of it but my amazing Beta made it way more legible for your viewing pleasure, thank her because she's awesome! (or follow her on tumblr at wheelsjustkeeponturning).**

**Also I took the liberty of making it so that payphones and their locations are untraceable for the sake of this story, I hope it's no biggie.**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

CHAPTER FOUR  
Conversations

Blaine sat nervously, tapping his fingers on the table as he waited for Kurt to come back with their order. They had walked the rest of the way in relative silence. Kurt had seemed pleased, but the revelation had started a full-fledged existential meltdown in Blaine.

He was a lost boy. A _lost boy?_ What did that even mean and why did Kurt even take it as an answer. Blaine wasn't lost he was just...well he didn't know what he was, but he wasn't _lost_. The word was so heavy and had so many connotations with it. He knew who he was and what he was doing, he'd just needed a break from…from…

Blaine sighed, resisting the urge to slam his head into the table. He _was_ lost. He was forgotten and misplaced and now he'd found his way to Neverland so that he would "never grow up."

Awesome.

Ah look, there his Peter Pan came now.

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Sorry that took so long," Kurt said with an apologetic smile. He sat down across from Blaine, placing two coffees, a bagel, and a BLT sandwich on the table. "She messed up our order."

Blaine shrugged, trying to not let his internal freak out show. "It's no big."

Kurt smiled even wider and nudged the bagel and one of the coffees towards Blaine. "One toasted cream cheese bagel and a medium drip."

Blaine dragged the plate towards himself, surprised at how hungry he was. Thinking back on it, he hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday and with all the walking he'd done he was ravenous. Without preamble, he picked up the bagel and shoved it in his mouth chewing quickly and swallowing before going in for another huge bite.

"Whoa," Kurt said raising his hand in a 'stop' gesture. "Slow down there big boy, you'll make yourself sick."

Blaine paused, looking down at the bagel, looking at Kurt, back to the bagel, before slowly lowering the food away from his face. "Sorry," he said with a slight blush. "It's been a while since I last ate."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "I never would have guessed."

Blaine stuck his tongue out at Kurt, who just smiled in return, picking up his sandwich and taking a much more respectable sized bite out of it. They ate together in silence, the only sound between them the 'mm's' and groans of satisfaction.

It wasn't until the last crumb fell that Blaine put his elbows on the table, leaning over it slightly to raise an eyebrow at Kurt.

"You wanted to talk?"

Kurt nodded, wiping his mouth with a napkin before folding it neatly and placing it on his plate. "Yes," he started. "I have a proposition for you."

Blaine frowned, suspicion taking over him. "What kind of proposition?"

Kurt shrugged, picking up the Lima Bean coffee mug and holding it to his lips. He took a quick sip before sighing and placing it back on the table and looking Blaine dead in the eye. "I'd like to offer you a place to stay."

Blaine froze, not expecting those to be the words that exited Kurt's mouth. "Umm…" was Blaine's intelligent reply.

"Look," Kurt said, cutting of Blaine's drone. "I know how it must look—"

"Do you?" Blaine questioned, taking his elbows off of the table and leaning back. "It was just yesterday you were telling me not to stay with Mike and his people, why should I stay with you instead?"

Kurt let out a breath. "I know," he started again. "You must think I'm the biggest creep, but trust me when I say they're not good news."

"And you are?"

"At least I don't mean you any harm," Kurt replied taking another sip of his coffee. "I just want to help. I mean, you're lost in a town that doesn't have a motel and you don't know anyone other than me and the gang. We both offered you a place to stay and you have no reason to choose me over them but I'm asking you to consider because I can't stand the thought of you out there on your own for god knows how long."

Blaine smiled a cocky grin, "I never knew you cared."

"I do," Kurt nodded. "I care a lot. My dad and I…we run a home."

Blaine cocked his head putting his hand in his pocket and touching the piece of paper, a movement that was becoming almost calming. "Liza's Home for Lost Boys."

"…Yeah," Kurt said slowly. "How did you know?"

Blaine gaze Kurt a weird look. "You dropped a paper crane on my guitar before you left yesterday," he said.

Kurt shook his head, confusion evident on his face. "No I didn't."

"…Yes you did." Blaine argued. "It was labelled 'For the Traveller' and inside it had that name and an address."

Kurt frowned crossing his arms. "I'm not lying," he said. "Why would I give that to you if I was planning to talk to you about it now?"

Blaine balked at that, knowing that Kurt was right. "So it wasn't you," he said slowly.

"Yes," Kurt verified. "I can't do origami."

"Well that's odd and slightly creepy."

"Quite," Kurt agreed. "And I hope it doesn't turn you off of my offer. At least you know I'm not lying about the place."

Blaine shrugged tapping his hands on the table top. "I honestly don't see any reason why I should say no. You've been nothing but nice to me, and if you do turn out to be a serial killer then I'll just cross that bridge if we get to it."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Wow, what a good plan."

"Oh hush," Blaine fake scolded. "You're not a serial killer."

Kurt quirked an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

Blaine shrugged, offering a sly grin and a wink, "I just know."

Kurt scoffed but didn't argue, sitting up straight and planting his hands on the table. "There are a few things you should probably know before we go."

"Don't enter the west wing?"

Kurt rolled his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. "No Belle, luckily for you that's not one of our rules."

Blaine pouted before waving his hand beckoning Kurt to continue. Kurt shook his head before carrying on. "First thing, everyone is expected to pull their weight either in the house or in the community so by the end of the week you'll have a job. Half of your paycheck will go to the house because looking after four— now five— hungry teenagers is pretty expensive. The rest of the money is yours to keep for fun."

"Sounds fair," Blaine nodded.

"I'm glad," Kurt replied. "The second thing is that there is absolutely no bullying allowed. If you and one of the other boys had a disagreement, take it outside because the house functions best as a unit and when everybody is working together. If you deliberately say or do anything with the intention of verbally, physically, or psychologically harming another person it will not be taken lightly."

Blaine's brow furrowed in thought. "You've had this problem before?" he asked cocking his head slightly.

"Yes," Kurt answered honestly. "And since three members of the house are gay, and another is paraplegic I need to be extra careful who I let into the house these days."

Blaine nodded again, offering a small smile. "Well I'm a pretty friendly guy," he offered. "And if it means anything I'm gay too, so you won't get any bigotry from me."

Kurt's lips quirked in a quick smile before it disappeared smothered by his business-like persona. "I'm glad to hear that," he said with a slight head nod. "And the last few things I need to know is do you have any allergies or mental illnesses? Are you on any medications? Are you on any illegal substances and how old are you?"

"Penicillin and kiwi. Not that I know of. No, definitely no, and 16 turning 17 at the end of the summer," Blaine listed off. "Are you going to remember all that?"

Kurt nodded tapping his head. "It's like a sponge."

"Alrighty then," Blaine replied clasping his hands together.

"So you're sure about this?" Kurt asked, cocking his head as his eyes raked over Blaine again, sizing him up just like Mike had. The look was definitely getting old, even from Kurt's impossible eyes.

"Yup," Blaine answered, not balking under the critical stare. "To the home!"

Kurt rolled his eyes, finally breaking the trail his gaze was burning into Blaine's body. "Sure," he answered standing up. "I'm sure everybody will be happy to meet you."

Blaine mimicked the movement and picked up his bags, following Kurt as he led the way out of the café. "Who is everybody?" Blaine inquired as an afterthought once they were out on the street. They turned left from the store entrance, and Blaine assumed the home couldn't be too far since the park was fifteen minutes in the other direction and he doubted Kurt would walk too far for a swing.

"Well there are four of us lost boys in total, not including you. Besides me, there's Jeff, he's a sweetheart but he's pretty hyperactive and doesn't filter a thing he says so be careful what you tell him. There's Artie, who's our resident genius and gangster. He's funny, sweet, and compassionate, but don't get on his bad side because he isn't very quick to forgive. Then there's Santana."

"Santana?" Blaine repeated, crinkling his nose at the name. "Isn't that a girl's name."

"Yes," Kurt nodded. "For a very fierce girl."

Blaine shook his head, "I don't get it, I thought this was a home for "Lost Boys.""

"So if you were a girl I shouldn't have helped you?" Kurt questioned giving Blaine a piercing look. "She's an honorary Lost Boy and she has more balls than the rest of us so it's a title she rightly deserves. Consider yourself warned, she's a wild one."

Blaine nodded fiddling with the straps on his guitar case. "You sound like quite the eclectic group."

Kurt shrugged smiling fondly, "Yeah. But we're family."

Blaine smiled, he understood that. His family was pretty eclectic too; between his and Cooper's musical numbers, his parent's bold personalities and the Warblers interfering tendencies, his family was one crazy place.

The thought made him frown.

"Is there a payphone somewhere around here?" he asked glancing around the street that was beginning to show signs of life as the rest of the world woke up.

"Around the next corner," Kurt answered. "Do you want to just use my cell-phone?"

Blaine shook his head. "No I can't have them trace the call."

Kurt frowned at Blaine's response.

The shorter boy laughed at Kurt's confusion bumping his shoulder into Kurt's softly. "No I'm not a drug lord or something, relax. I want to call my parents so they know I'm okay but I don't want them to know where I am."

Kurt nodded, understanding on his features. "Well sure," he said after the nod, "follow me." The duo turned right at the next intersection, and headed to the payphone that looked old, bedraggled, and like it hadn't been used in centuries.

"Need change?" Kurt asked when Blaine put his bag on the floor.

"No I'm good," the hazel-eyed boy responded, tentatively walking towards the payphone. He stared at it like it was a giant ball of mold that he couldn't bring himself to touch. He treaded closer though, until he was inside the glass encasing, but he stopped there, burning a whole into the telephone as if his will alone could set it ablaze.

Kurt watched from the outside, not saying a word as Blaine did what he had to do.

Blaine sighed, letting his head drop. He closed his eyes and picked up the phone, the weight feeling like lead in his hand. Slowly, or quickly, he couldn't really tell anymore—his entire body felt lethargic as if it was moving through molasses—he put in the money and dialed the number, not breathing as he heard the phone ring.

Somebody answered on the second ring.

"Hello?"

The voice was sad, tired, and much older than it should have sounded.

Blaine took a shuddered breath.

"_Blaine?"  
_

Hope now. And excitement. But it was strained, as if they didn't want to get their hopes up too high for fear of disappointment.

"H-hi." He said shakily, pain flooding through him. This wasn't right. He was so selfish, he shouldn't have done this.

"Blaine!"

Relief flooded through the voice, and happiness, he could practically feel it vibrating through his ear. He smiled sadly, gripping the phone even tighter.

"Hi dad," he said.

"God, Blaine we've been worried sick! Where _are_ you?"

"I…I can't tell you." Blaine swallowed thickly around the sudden lump in his throat.

"What do you mean you can't tell me? Is someone making you say this? Are you okay?" The growing distress in his dad's voice pulled at something in Blaine's chest.

"No, no one's making me say this, dad—"

"Then why can't you tell me where you are!?" Blaine's father interrupted his tone bordering on hysterical.

"Because I don't want you to find me," Blaine said quietly. He looked down to the floor as he said it, his vision blurring as tears threatened to fall. The other side of the line went silent. He couldn't even hear his father's breathing.

God he was an _awful_ person.

"Dad—" he tried.

"Blaine." His father said in the most pleading tone Blaine had ever heard from the man. He squeezed his eyes shut and a tear fell silently down his face. It dropped off his cheek and landed between his feet, staining the ground darker. "I…did we do something? Did something happen? Why don't you want us to find you, son?"

"N-no." Blaine answered shakily, fighting to talk through the sob that threatened to erupt through his throat. "It's nothing you guys did." But that was a lie wasn't it? It was everything they did. Their perfection was stifling, and their expectations choked him until he couldn't breathe. "I just…I need some time away from everything, you know? University applications start in a few months and I just—"

"Is that what you're worried about, son? University? You know you'll be perfect! Your grades are perfection, you'll get into Stanford as easily as your brother and I did. You'll study law and join the firm as a third partner. You don't have anything to be nervous about."

"That's just it!" Blaine said with affirmation, his voice still sounding wretched through his tears. "Are you hearing how _perfect_ that is? Everything is planned, I'll follow in your footsteps and that's it. All Blaine has to do is not fail, I just I _can't_—"

_"Blaine_—"

"No." Blaine cut off his father's pleading, his voice unshakable. "I was just calling to let you know I'm okay. Don't try to find me, I'll be back by the end of the summer."

"Blaine, wait!"

"Goodbye."

He hung up. The phone echoed with the force that Blaine had slammed it down with, the reverberations shaking up his arm.

He hung his head and sighed, taking a deep steadying breath as his other hand moved to wipe the tears from his face.

It was done.

He let out a small laugh that sounded hysterical to his own ears.

A firm weight landed on his shoulder and he jumped, looking around to see Kurt touching his shoulder sympathetically.

"Come on," he urged gently, trailing his hand down to his bicep and pulling slightly. "Let's go."

Blaine just nodded, wiping his eyes one more time before leaning into Kurt's touch and letting him lead him out of the small box. Kurt picked up his duffel bag and looped his arm through Blaine's, touching his forehead to Blaine's shoulder before turning them back the way they'd come.

* * *

**Comments, questions, concerns, constructive criticism, happy flails? Review!**


	5. Settling In

**And I'm back! Okay this chapter sets the scene and the environment, and next will hold a more diverse range of characters. **

**Once again many thanks to my Beta (wheelsjustkeeponturning on tumblr)**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

CHAPTER FIVE  
Settling In

Blaine wasn't sure what he expected the home to look like, but the three story wooden house with ornate shutters, and a porch donned with a rocking chair and flowers somehow fit the image perfectly.

The wood of the house was a warm colour with age cracks and rain stains so perfectly imperfect that it just screamed lived in. The lawn was neat and well kept, with an oak tree that stood the same height as the house; underneath it purple flowers bloomed sweetly.

The house was charming and Blaine fell in love with it instantly.

"It's gorgeous," he breathed out before he even realized the words were coming out of his mouth. But they rang with truth, his honesty palpable as he stared wide-eyed at the dwelling. Kurt smiled his wistful smile, not showing his teeth as Blaine's words wrapped around him, pulling at an emotion he had managed to ignore for some time.

"My dad and my mother built it together," he said with an almost indiscernible edge to his voice. Kurt glanced at Blaine but the hazel-eyed boy didn't notice, never taking his enamoured eyes off of the quaint house.

"That's amazing," Blaine said in awe, not picking up Kurt's emotion.

"Yeah," Kurt agreed. "You should have seen the condition it was in when they first bought it; I still can't believe it took them less than a year to fix."

Blaine tore his eyes away from house to look at Kurt, who was now staring at the dwelling with a faraway look in his eyes and another emotion Blaine couldn't quite place.

"Whose idea was it?"

"To renovate?" Kurt asked, his eyes never wavering as they took in his home. "Mother's, of course. The best ideas were always hers."

Blaine paused, debating whether or not to comment, Kurt's emotion slowly becoming clear. "Were?" he finally asked, a lump quickly forming in his throat.

Kurt nodded, blinking and finally breaking eye contact with the house, looking to the floor instead. "She died when I was eight."

It was grief.

"Oh," was all Blaine could think to say before he mentally punched himself in the face and continued on so he didn't sound like the world's largest most insensitive prick. "That must have been terrible," he continued, his voice quieter than he'd expected. He imagined that it got picked up the morning breeze and kissed against Kurt's soft cheek, his skin soaking in the sincerity so that he knew Blaine meant what he said. "I'm sorry."

Kurt looked at Blaine; his incredible eyes alight with deep pain that burned like a flame. It sparked something in Blaine and once again he started speaking before he even realized he had words to say. "It's not true what they say," he started. "That time heals all wounds. Sometimes it just buries them, pushes them deeper into you until the pain becomes so deeply rooted in your soul that it becomes a part of you. You forget it's there but you never stop feeling it."

Kurt cocked his head, his wide eyes boring into Blaine's as if he could see everything there was to see in Blaine. And maybe he could. His stare was _really_ intense, made even more disconcerting because Blaine couldn't distinguish his emotion. Kurt's face was glass; save for the inquisitiveness in his eyes that had yet to leave Blaine's.

"I know," Kurt finally said, blinking and breaking eye contact. "I know." The second sentence was like a whisper, an after note, or an echo that was playing in Kurt's head so loudly it just had to be released into the world. Blaine didn't think Kurt had realized he'd said it, for the amount of emotion in the two words tore at Blaine's heart strings.

Then, as if a switch was turned on, Kurt perked up and smiled; all signs of distress suddenly gone from his appearance.  
"Come on," Kurt said with an encouraging smile, pulling Blaine gently with their still linked arms. "I want to give you a tour before everybody wakes up."

In shock from the sudden transformation Blaine didn't hesitate and let Kurt drag him up the steps and onto the wooden porch. Blaine was barely coherent when Kurt whipped out his keys and it was only when the door was finally being opened that Blaine snapped back to reality.

"Hangman's tree," he said with awe.

Kurt just chuckled and pushed the door open more, gracefully shoving Blaine inside before shutting the door behind them.

* * *

The house was cozy. As soon as they stepped inside, Blaine dropped the duffel bag and guitar onto a worn red rug. To the left of the door was a coat hanger that had multiple jackets hanging off of it, and to the right was a closet that Blaine assumed was for shoes.

Kurt kicked his Doc Marten's off and a motion for Blaine to do the same. Following Kurt's direction he untied his ratted laces and gave the shoes to Kurt who opened the closet, which was indeed for shoes, and placed Blaine's sneakers amongst the mass of shoes as if they belonged there.

Blaine wasn't wearing a jacket, but he wore a big black hoodie that was beginning the process of what felt like heatstroke in the gentle heating of the house.

"Can I take my hoodie off?" he asked tentatively, not sure what the etiquette de-heating oneself was.

Kurt looked like he was about to laugh. "You're about to move in," he said, shaking his head. "Get comfortable and do what you want. You're right though," he said after a moment's thought. "It _is_ pretty hot in here. Jeff was probably meddling with the AC again don't worry about it."

Blaine nodded mutely, staring at Kurt as the pale boy watched him with a smirk.

"Well?" Kurt nudged when Blaine made no movement. "You going to take it off or..?"

Blaine snapped back to reality blushing slightly. "Right yes, okay." He turned, though he felt awkward as he did so, and pulled off the hoodie, shaking it out and folding it over his arm as he turned back around. Now he wore a red Dalton t-shirt and jeans. His hair was a mess and his socks felt sweaty—he probably smelled disgusting, and wow, Blaine thought he might actually want a shower more than a bed. He felt _gross._

"Show me the house!" Blaine said dramatically deciding not to comment on his need for hot water. He waved his hand in the air in an aristocratic manner, and broke into a big grin when Kurt rolled his eyes and pointed to Blaine's feet.

"This is the foyer," Kurt deadpanned.

Blaine widened his eyes and slapped his hand to his cheeks, making an impressive 'o' with his mouth. "No way!" he said over excitedly. "That is _so_ cool! I've never seen one before!"

"Oh shut up," Kurt scolded with not actual bite to his tone. "I didn't want it to be the only place left out."

"Of course," Blaine nodded mockingly.

Kurt just rolled his eyes, (a habit Blaine figured he'd be seeing a lot), and took a few steps forward going to the right. "Here," he said as they entered a fairly large square room with wooden floors and an impressive TV resting in a TV cabinet, "Is the family room. That," he pointed to a soft plush La-Z-Boy arm chair that was on the furthest side of the room facing the TV, "Is my dad's. And I mean it's his, if you don't want to die don't sit there. Ever."

Blaine nodded in understanding. "This is the main group chilling room. We have a PS3, Jenga, Pictionary, Apples 2 Apples, and Scrabble – of which I am the residing champion. We also have a stellar amount of movies," Kurt pointed towards two cabinets that framed the TV from floor to ceiling. Each cabinet was stocked with movies and Blaine could feel himself smiling.

"That's awesome," he hummed his approval. "Movies are the best."

"I'm happy to hear that. We tend to have a move night every Friday to 'keep the family together.'"

Blaine nodded smiling, "That sounds like fun."

Kurt nodded and moved back out of the room, crossing back in front of the foyer into a dining room. "Dining room," Kurt pointed out. "We don't really eat here much. It's only for special occasions and birthdays and thanksgiving and stuff."

Blaine nodded as they kept on walking. "This is the kitchen," Kurt said with a grand flourish. "It's my second favourite room in the house so disrespect it and I'll disrespect you."

"Of course."

Kurt walked him past the squared granite counter, and the bar stools to a large island with eight bar stools. "This is the usual breakfast/eating place. We're hardly ever here at the same time so I hope you're sufficient at feeding yourself."

"Yeah, I'm adept."

"I'm glad," Kurt said with sincerity. Out of the kitchen they entered the living room that had a massive book shelf and a TV. It was gorgeous, Blaine thought, as his eyes drifted over a window seat set into a very large circular window; just in front of the window seat stood a black grand piano, shining softly as the weak midmorning sun flittered through the window. Blaine's hands itched to play it almost immediately.

The room looked significantly less lived in than the family room but Blaine knew he'd found his favourite room in the house, it was so peaceful.

Kurt showed him where the bathroom was and was taking him up the stairs when Blaine saw a ramp leading down.

"What's down there?" Blaine asked peeking over the railing.

"That's Arties bedroom."

"He gets the whole basement to himself?" Blaine asked slightly surprised.

Kurt shrugged, continuing up the stairs. "I have the whole loft to myself."

"There's a loft?" Blaine asked clearly excited.

"Yeah," Kurt answered. "It's where my bedroom is."

Blaine smiled to himself for a moment before realizing Kurt was at the top of the stairs and he should probably go catch up.

"Everyone's still sleeping so we'll have to be quiet," Kurt said in a whisper when Blaine finally reached him.

"Sure," Blaine replied at the same volume.

Kurt quickly pointed to his left where there was a closed door. "This is Jeff's room," he said. "Next to it is the bathroom. Next to the bathroom is Santana's room, and next to Santana's room is the guest room where you'll be staying."

Without prompt, Kurt walked towards Blaine's room and opened the door, leaving Blaine to follow behind him. The room was nice, a pleasant size with light beige walls and a King sized bed. There was a closet on the right side, and a window on the wall facing the door.

"It's lovely," Blaine said letting out a breath. He knew Kurt was an alright guy, but a part of Blaine was still convinced they'd stick him in a maggot infested room.

"I'm glad you like it," Kurt replied with a courteous nod.

They stood staring at it for a bit before Kurt seemed to remember something. "Right," he said shaking his head. "Stay here."  
Kurt left and returned a minute later with a towel and face cloth. "Here," he said as he placed them on the bed.

"Thanks," Blaine replied with gratitude, surprised at how generous Kurt really was.

"So," Kurt said drumming his fingers on his thigh. "You may want to take a shower so I'll leave you to do that and let yourself get settled in. If you need anything just shout, okay?"

"O-okay," Blaine stuttered, surprised at Kurt's hasty retreat. It's not that Blaine needed babysitting but still.

"Okay." Kurt offered Blaine a small smile before leaving his room and closing the door softly behind him.

Blaine took a deep breath and spun around himself, trying to gather his thoughts together. This was amazing. Like seriously amazing, this house was adorable, and there were other teenagers here, and there was no rent! Blaine had hit the jackpot as far as running away goes, and if everybody who lived here was as awesome as Kurt, Blaine could get very comfortable here. But at the same time his parents were distraught looking for him. Thoughts of the phone call made his eyes sting and he wiped at them uselessly, a frown growing on his face. He still couldn't believe he was doing this to them again—

"Shower," he said to himself, shaking his arms and legs out as if that would make the bad thoughts go away. "I'm going to shower."

Stripping himself of his shirt, jeans and underwear, Blaine stood shamelessly naked in "his" room before wrapping the towel around his waist and picking up the face cloth as he moved towards the door.

As soon as his hand gripped the doorknob, he turned the door and opened it, gasping in surprise as a Latina woman stood facing him, a smirk growing on her face as his towel undid itself and fell to the floor before Blaine even had the mind to grab it.

"Wanky."

* * *

**Next one will be all character introduction and actual people I promise!**

**Comments, questions, concerns, review? :)**


	6. Meet the Cavalry

**So this Glee episode was awesome. Anybody else feel bad for Brody though? And our little Blaine pumpkin is up against Sue! All in all I like where Glee is headed, (but then again maybe I'm just to weak to resist Darren in a Cheerio outfit). What are your thoughts? (Also on Come What May because that was pure amazing!)**

**As always, many thanks to my gorgeous Beta (wheelsjustkeeponturning) on tumblr.**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

CHAPTER SIX  
Meet the Cavalry

All of Blaine's senses seemed to kick in at once. He took a step back and slammed the door, banging his head against the warm wood as soon as it was closed. He closed his eyes and groaned, hoping that as long as he couldn't see it the embarrassment wouldn't be there; that none of this had happened and he was dreaming and if he opened the door again there wouldn't be a girl standing outside his door with his towel—

He groaned even louder, twirling around feeling his bare ass graze the wood.

He'd left his goddamn towel outside.

He paused and pressed his ear to the door, an attempt to see if he could hear anything. Everything was silent.

Hopefully the stranger had left him to die of embarrassment in his room. Should he chance going out there again? Blaine really wanted to shower so he kind of needed his towel. He pressed his ear against the door again, but this time he heard what sounded like two people talking. There was a quick laugh and the sounds of movement before Blaine took his ear away again, contemplating all of his plausible plans of action.

A quick knock on the door pulled him out of his drastically spiralling thoughts.

Slowly, Blaine pulled the door open a crack and stuck his head out whilst hiding the rest of himself behind the door. He found himself face to face with the Latina again.

He cleared his throat and lowered his eyes before meeting her amused gaze again. "Hello," he said, shifting to reach his hand out through the crack in the door. "I'm Blaine."

The Latina just rolled her eyes and held out the towel to him, balancing it on the end of her pointer finger. "I think this belongs to you."

Blaine nodded and reached for it with his outstretched hand, but she took a step back raising her eyebrow. "Personally," she continued as if she wasn't completely and totally taunting him. "I think you look better without it."

Blaine blushed slightly but managed to push through it. "Well that's very kind of you," he said retracting his reaching hand and placing it on the door for better balance instead. "But I'd feel more comfortable if I could have it back."

"Would you now?" she asked cocking her head to the right. "Well Kurt told me to be good, and making you feel uncomfortable would go against that so, here," she said slinking closer to him. "Take it."

Blaine paused, raking her face for any signs of mischief. Her dark brown eyes seemed innocent enough, but the smirk that hadn't left her face since his towel fell was enough to put him on edge. He held out his hand slowly and sighed a breath of relief when she handed it to him, winking when their hands touched.

"I'm Santana by the way," she said as she moved back to her room—the one right next to his, Blaine managed to remember. Blaine nodded, mouthing to make a reply, but before he could speak she was gone, disappearing into her room.  
Blaine let out a breath before dragging his hand and the towel back inside with him. "That was fun," he sarcastically stated to no one in particular.

Not even five minutes into the new place and he'd already managed to embarrass himself on a massive scale.

Awesome.

At least he'd met Santana now. That was one person down—though he'd hopefully avoid her for as long as he could—only three more to go! Blaine resisted the urge to roll his eyes and tied the towel tightly around his waist, not letting go of it as he opened the door with his left hand and slunk outside. He glanced around and seeing that the hallway was empty, he ran into the bathroom, locking the door and sighing with relief that he'd made.

Now he could finally shower.

* * *

Showered, dressed, and feeling a slightly bit better, Blaine figured he should probably go find Kurt before he managed to embarrass himself anymore.

Now donned in a simple black polo shirt and slacks, Blaine felt a lot more like himself. Unfortunately in his packing haste, he had forgotten to pack his hair gel so he was stuck leaving his wild hair loose and unmaintained. He frowned at it in the mirror but moved on, promising himself he'd find a place to buy some during the week.

Opening his door timidly, Blaine stepped out and debated where he should go now. He could hear noise coming from the kitchen but he wasn't sure who was down there. _Oh stop whining,_ he told himself as he absently scratched his arm. _You'll have to get to_ _know everyone eventually, may as well start now_.

Steeling himself, he walked to the stairs and descended them quickly. He whispered a quick mental thanks to Kurt for the tour of the house and moved to the kitchen where there was a loud amount of chatter and clanging of pots.

Before he could wimp out, Blaine walked through the doors, and resisted the urge to wince as all chatter died down as he walked in. Sitting at the table was a blonde boy, the Latina from before, and an older man who Blaine assumed was Kurt's father. The person clanging in the kitchen was Kurt, who was pulling out a fairly large frying pan and other ingredients that Blaine couldn't see.

Blaine scratched his arm and waited, not sure what to do.

"Hi," he said finally when nobody spoke. "I'm Blaine."

Kurt turned around and smiled at him, pointing at him with a frying pan. "Everybody," he said to the group at the table. "This is Blaine."

"We've met," Santana said lasciviously with her signature smirk, "He's got a really big c—"

"It's so nice to meet you all," Blaine squeaked, cutting Santana off. She just smirked some more, and picked up the white coffee mug that was in front of her.

The blonde boy shot her a curious look. She just shrugged and mouthed 'huge' to him, stretching her lips around the word. His eyes widened and appraised Blaine's body with interest.

Blaine was caught between being flattered and being appalled. This town and its leering, _honestly.  
_

The man rolled his eyes at the teens next to him and stood to meet Blaine. He held out his hand, and Blaine shook it, not surprised at the calluses and worn roughness he felt there. The father's hands were well worked and seasoned, not unlike the man himself, Blaine suspected.

"Sorry about these two," he said with a rough wave in their general direction. "I could swear they were born in barns before we found them."

Blaine saw Santana stick her tongue out at the man's back, causing him to suppress a giggle. "It's alright, sir." He said, giving himself a mental high five for keeping his voice level. "They've been kind."

"You don't have to lie to me," the man said with a smile.

"Hey," the blonde kid piped up. "I'd have you know, that I haven't even met the kid yet, and therefore can't be blamed for _any_ misdemeanors done to him."

The man rolled his eyes and looked at the blonde boy, raising his eyebrow in a fashion so spectacularly Kurt, that if Blaine hadn't already figured out that he was Kurt's father, that action would have told him.

"Jeff, if there's one thing I know for certain," Kurt's dad started. "If anything happens around here it's _always_ your fault."

"You can't deny that," Kurt piped up from the kitchen. "Trouble follows you."

The blonde—Jeff shrugged, grinning as he did so. "She's so clingy. I tried to break up with her years ago but she just keeps calling."

"And you keep answering," the man said. "Honestly, I don't even know why I put up with you."

"Because I'm charming and funny and loveable and adorable, and kicking someone like me out would be the same thing as murder."

The man nodded at Jeff's answer, playing the answer around in his head.

"You know he's right," Santana said as she placed the mug back on the counter. "He'd be hopeless all alone on the streets."

The man nodded with a small smile, "I know. You're safe this time Jeff."

Jeff placed his hand on his heart and leaned into Santana melodramatically. "Oh be still my beating heart!" he cried, donning a southern accent. "This man has paid me a mercy I'll never return, how shall I ever thank you? _How_?"

The father just ignored him and turned back to Blaine who was watching the interaction with an amused grin. "In case you didn't realize," the older man started, "This hooligan here is Jeff." The boy in question gave him a mini wave and a huge cheeky grin. "The girl behind him is Santana." She ignored the introduction, continuing sipping her coffee. "The boy in the kitchen is my son Kurt who you already know, and I'm Kurt's father and the owner of this house, Burt."

"Hi, Burt," Blaine said biting his tongue as the redundancy escaped his mouth.

Burt smiled and clapped him on the back, pushing him towards the table. "Take a seat," he cheered merrily walking Blaine to the empty chair facing Jeff. "Kurt's making pancakes."

"Kurt makes the best pancakes in the world," Jeff said looking at Kurt's back as he moved swiftly around the kitchen.

"I don't know," Blaine said as he settled into the bar stool seat. "My pancakes are pretty delicious."

"Is that a challenge?" Kurt asked, turning away from the fire to look at Blaine. Blaine turned around in his seat to meet Kurt's gaze, the pale boy's tone making it difficult for Blaine to discern if he was joking or not.

"Maybe," he decided to say when Kurt's face gave no indication either way. "Maybe not."

"I don't know," Jeff goaded. "That sounded like a challenge to me."

He looked at Santana who just nodded.

He looked back at Kurt with a grin, and the pale boy just rolled his eyes before turning back to the pan.

"I think you two should have a cook-off." Jeff said with excitement in his voice. He was practically vibrating in his seat as the idea built in his head. "I'm serious! That would be awesome! Everyone has a specialty they cook once a month—mine is grilled cheese, Santana's is Butternut Squash Soup, and Kurt's is pancakes. You and Kurt can have a cook-off for the best pancake chef, and whoever loses has to find a new special dish!"

"I can just find a new meal," Kurt said flipping a pancake. "It's not a big deal; I can cook a lot of things."

"_Yes,_" Jeff said drawing out the word. "But a cook-off would be loads more fun!"

"I'll think about it," Kurt said, and even though Blaine couldn't see it, he could hear the eye roll in the boy's voice. Blaine smiled and turned back to the table.

"See!" Jeff yelled noticing it immediately. "Even Blaine wants to have this friendly competition, he's smiling!"

"I—no," Blaine spluttered. "That's not what I was smiling about."

"No?" Santana asked raising her dark eyebrow in question. "Then what were you smiling about?"

Blaine resisted the urge to smash his head through the table. She was not going to make life easy for him was she? "Just you guys," he said scratching his bicep before his pause became too long and awkward. "How nice and family-like you are. It's refreshing."

"Oh," Burt said frowning slightly. "Problems at home, Blaine?"

"Ha," Blaine scoffed, letting out a laugh bitterer than he meant it to be. "No. Yes and no. It's complicated."

Burt, Jeff, and Santana nodded, neither of them pushing any further. An awkward silence lulled over them and Blaine instantly felt bad. He scratched his neck and debated what he could say to change the nature of the conversation. Before he could really reflect on the consequences of saying 'so how about them jets?' Kurt placed a massive stack of pancakes on the table instantly ripping everybody out of their stupor.

"Eat up," Kurt said sitting down next to Blaine at the table. "This might be the last time you ever have these."

Blaine scratched his shoulder and watched in awe as Jeff took ten pancakes and piled them onto his plate. The blonde stared at the table for a moment and frowned looking at Kurt with big brown eyes. "You forgot the butter," he said sadly.

Kurt rolled his eyes but stood and went to the fridge, pulling out the butter with as much enthusiasm as a five year old being forced to go to bed.

"Help yourself, Blaine," Burt said gesturing to Blaine's empty plate. He nodded and smiled, taking a large fluffy pancake for himself.

"So what's the occasion?" Blaine asked when Kurt came back with the butter. Blaine scratched absently at his neck again, cocking his head at the pale boy. "You said breakfasts together didn't happen very often."

"They don't," Jeff said through a mouthful of food. "But Kurt lost a bet so he has to cook for us."

"Oh?" Blaine questioned, moving his hand further down the back of his shirt scratching his skin. "What bet did he lose?"

Kurt shot Jeff a stern glare that made the blonde go silent. He gave Kurt a sheepish look before shrugging. "Well you did."

"Nothing," Kurt said, pouring some syrup onto his pancakes before passing it to Blaine who took it with his left hand. His right hand was scratching diligently at a spot on his forearm, Blaine's brow creased with focus.

"You okay there?" Burt asked looking up from his pancakes.

Blaine nodded, but didn't stop scratching. "Yeah I'm fine," he said. "My arm's just really itchy and I can't seem to make it stop."

"Ugh _guys_," Kurt groaned, grabbing Blaine's wrist to stop him from scratching. "I told you to be good."

Santana shrugged. "It could have been much worse."

Jeff nodded, pointing towards Santana with his fork. "On her scale, this is like a one point two."

Kurt rolled his eyes, and Burt just sighed, taking another pancake while Kurt was too distracted to notice.

"What?" Blaine asked, looking at Kurt with confusion.

"These two idiots put itching powder on your towel."

* * *

**Comments, questions, concerns, criticisms or praises about this fic or the real Glee? Review! :)**


	7. You Know What This Means

**Gosh I am so sorry guys, life just got really hard and I had no (or will) to write for a while. School was being her usual stressful self, and my great grandma died and all this other jazz happened and just ugh it's not important. All that matters is that I'm back for realsies! Thanks for sticking with me guys :) So this story will start to pick up after next chapter now that all the important things are laid out.**

**As always, many thanks to my beautiful Beta (wheelsjustkeeponturning) on turning, because without her and her cat pictures I don't know where'd I'd be. And also thank you and your reviews, they make my day so keep 'em coming :D**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

CHAPTER SEVEN  
You Know What This Means

Blaine stared at Kurt for a long time, his face passive as the news washed over him. Kurt let go of his hand, and Blaine was scratching again as he processed what had just happened.

"Okay," he said slowly, blinking his eyes once. He turned to Santana and Jeff who had continued eating their pancakes. "Are you sorry?"

Santana looked up at him, a wicked glint in her that Jeff mimicked as they stared him down. "It was just a little itching powder," Santana started.

"Nothing to be sorry for," Jeff finished.

Blaine nodded, pursing his lips in thought. He looked down and then back up at the smirking duo, except this time his eyes were wide and open, tears making their way to the surface as he sniffled. "You're not sorry?" he crooned, his bottom lip trembling in the effort to keep his tears down.

Jeff glanced at Santana, a look which she returned. They seemed to understand one another before Jeff spoke without doubt in his voice. "We're not sorry."

Blaine's demeanour completely changed and suddenly there was a bright smile on his face. He stopped scratching his arm and rested his head in his hands, blinking up at the duo innocently.

"You two are cute," he said with a mischievous edge to his voice. "If you think a little itching powder is enough to do me in. I go to an all-boys school where we are given little means of entertainment—"

"Oh you mean the copious amounts of gay sex isn't enough for you?" Santana quipped.

"—And way too much free time," he said ignoring Santana completely. "And we're _inventive._ Itching powder is so fourth grade guys, at this point, I'm practically immune."

"But you were scratching, Kurt pointed out.

Blaine shrugged, leaning back a smirk of his own growing on his face. "I faked it."

Santana nodded looking impressed . "Not bad hobbit, not bad."

"But you must know," he continued, his gaze flickering easily between the two of you. "That this means war."

Burt let out a load groan, removing his plate and stepping out of the way. Blaine raised an eyebrow at the man who shook his head with what Blaine could only pin as something close to despair.

"This happen a lot?" Blaine asked.

Kurt nodded. "Every now and then," he answered.

"But nothing was as bad as the summer of 2006," Burt said as he placed his plate in the sink. "Now I'm not going to even try to stop this because I know you'll just do it anyway, so I'll only give you a few rules. 1. Don't break anything or I will rain all kinds of fiery hell on you. 2. Don't get me involved, you won't like it if you get me involved. 3. If any bones get broken you're calling a truce, and 4. If it gets as bad as 2006, I swear to god I will take you to places where even the man upstairs won't be able to hear you scream."

Santana saluted with a wink, "No problem Burt," she reassured. "We're much older now."

"Which is exactly why I don't trust it," he retorted rolling his eyes.

"Relax," Jeff said finally putting his knife and fork down. "I doubt it'll get that bad."

"Yeah," Santana agrees. "I don't think Blaine's made of tough stuff."

The curly haired boy snorted indignantly. "You'd be surprised," he replied with a shrug.

"Play nice guys," Burt said holding his arms up in a sign of defeat. "Oh and rule number five, Kurt you're on Blaine's side. He deserves a chance."

And with that final decree Burt left the room, leaving the teenagers to their own devices.

Kurt rolled his eyes but didn't argue, shooting Jeff and Santana a menacing glare. "One more rule," Kurt started, his blue eyes cold so that the duo knew he wasn't joking. "None of this starts until Blaine finds a job. And if you even dare to touch my room, you both die, understood?"

"That's two rules," Jeff pointed out.

"_Understood?_" Kurt all but growled. Santana rolled her eyes but nodded.

"Yes Mr. Man, it's understood."

Kurt gave her a sarcastic smile, "good. Now clean these up, I have to go find Blaine a job."

"Dude, no," Jeff started to argue.

"I said I'd cook," Kurt said calmly. "Not that I'd wash up." Jeff pouted but Kurt just shrugged as he stood, pulling Blaine with him. "Look at it this way, the sooner Blaine gets a job, the sooner your pranks can start."

Jeff visibly perked at that, practically jumping to his feet to pick up the plates. "Go!" he shooed at them as he hurriedly worked. "Santana and I must begin preparations."

Kurt rolled his eyes but didn't argue as he left the room, Blaine close on his tail.

"This is going to suck."

* * *

The car ride was quiet. Kurt had led him to the garage where a big black Navigator was parked. According to Kurt the car was his, but it was basically the family car since Burt's was always at work with him. Though he said, and he was kind of scary when he said it, that if anybody so much as scratched his baby there would be hell to pay.

Blaine was surprised; he didn't think Kurt would have been a car person, but who was Blaine to judge, he still rocked out to the Jonas Brothers—Nick was his favourite…shut up!

Blaine watched the view blur by. He thought he vaguely remembered some of the streets from his time as a lonely lost wanderer, but he really couldn't be sure. The car trip wasn't very long as they both hummed along to the music on the radio, after ten minutes Kurt pulled off of the road, and parked in front of what looked like a wooden warehouse.

Kurt got out first, and Blaine trailed after, giving the place a once over as he followed Kurt inside. The building was large and like Kurt's house, was made mostly out of wood. There was an overhang that held the sign "Carol's Flowers and Groceries," in big red wooden writing. Underneath it was a porch that held a screen door, where an open sign was slightly askew as it bounced on the mesh. Kurt walked up the porch steps that creaked slightly underfoot, and disappeared into the darkness of the entrance. Blaine took a deep breath and quickly followed him, not wanting to get too far behind.

The inside matched the outside in its adorable country charm. The lights were cheery and bright as they rained over their heads onto the clean linoleum floor. To Blaine's right was an empty cashier stand, to his left were grocery aisles, and in front of him were rows upon rows of fresh produce.

Kurt, after noticing the empty check out, continued straight, past the produce, causing Blaine to have to scurry to catch up.  
"A lot of these fruits and veggies are grown by my dad," Kurt said as they walked by the peppers. "I didn't show you the backyard, but there's a greenhouse and an apple tree and the vegetable section of the yard. It's kind of my dad's zen place so be careful not to destroy anything when you go there."

Blaine makes a face. "What makes you think I'd destroy—"

"When you get to know Jeff more, you'll understand. I have to take precautions," Kurt retorted without needing Blaine to finish the question. The brunette just nodded though he doubted Kurt noticed the movement. They walked for a little while longer, Blaine awed by the sheer size of the place, when he saw an incredibly large man on a ladder doing something to the lights.

Kurt smiled and Blaine looked between them, resisting the urge to scowl. Who was this?

"Finn!" Kurt called looking up at the kid. He had dark brown hair and light brown eyes and a lop sided smile that lit up his face when he laid his eyes on Kurt. He stopped what he was doing to the light, and clambered down the ladder before pulling Kurt into a tight hug.

Blaine squirmed slightly, but didn't say anything as he watched the…_warm_ interaction. You look good," Finn said with a nod after giving Kurt a once over.

"Why wouldn't I?" Kurt asked sounding offended. "It's me, I _always_ look good."

Finn nodded, putting his head in his hands as if thinking something through. "True," he agreed. "But I heard about the bet—"

"He didn't!" Kurt exclaimed with anger lacing each word.

Finn just shrugged, not deterred by the boy's wrath. "It's Jeff."

Kurt let out a frustrated noise and buried his head in hands. "I'm going to kill him."

Finn just chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I don't have to save up bail money do I?"

Kurt looked up from his hands, raising a perfect eyebrow. "Did I say I was going to get caught?"

Finn shrugged. "You're angry. You make mistakes when you're angry."

Kurt opened his mouth to speak, but whatever snarky comment he was about to make was cut off by loud chatter and groaning from the front of the store.

"This is heavy as shit, ma'am, what's in here?" a rough voice whined. Blaine had to stifle a laugh at a swear word and ma'am being used together so easily.

"Less questions more lifting." A kind woman's voice replied.

"You're not lifting enough," another male voice whined.

A groan, and then a slight bang as whatever it was the boys were carrying hit the ground. Finn moved past Kurt and Blaine to look at the commotion.

"Oh hi mom," he said with his lopsided smile and a wave. "Need any help?"

"Nah," the woman replied, "these two have it."

"Well _I_ do," the second male voice said.

"Jake," Finn's mom chastised.

Jake shrugged but didn't say anything else, as the boy—who had a Mohawk, Blaine could now see from around Finn's big body, shot him a heated glare. The woman walked over to where Finn and the duo were standing, leaving Jake and the mohawked boy to their own devices.

"Hey, Mrs. Hudson," Kurt said when she reached them, all signs of the previous anger he had gone.

"Hello, love," she said pulling him into brief but warm hug. "And call me Carol, honestly, Mrs. Hudson was my mother." Kurt rolled his eyes but didn't say anything.

"How was the store in my absence?" Carol asked addressing her son next.

"Fine," he answered. "The light was flickering so I fixed it and then Kurt and his friend walked in."

Carol turned to Blaine who had his hands in his pockets. At having her attention on him he quickly took a hand out and extended it, planting a smile on his face. "Hi," he said genuinely. "I'm—"

"—Blaine, yes hi," Carol said taking his hand.

"How did you..?" Kurt started.

"Oh Burt called me when I was out, told me to keep an eye out for this one."

"That's very sweet," Blaine said with a small smile.

Carol let out a small laugh. "Well you are going to need it, starting a prank war with Santana and Jeff, not very smart."

Blaine raised an eyebrow. "Are they really that good?"

"You haven't heard about 2006?" Carol inquired.

"That's a story for another time," Kurt interrupted. "I'm actually here because Blaine needs a job."

"Oh," Carol said. She stood for a moment before shaking her head. "Sorry," she said with genuine disappointment. "But I'm fully employed. Try Golden Star, the Berry's are always looking for new talent."

Kurt nodded, "Alright thanks Mrs—Carol." She beamed at him happily.

"No problem, Kurt. Sorry I couldn't help," she said turning to Blaine. "But if you have a green thumb I always need help in the garden."

"I don't know if I do," Blaine started. "But I'd be happy to give it a try."

"Great," Carol replied with a smile. "I'll call whenever I need the help then."

Kurt nodded with a smile turning to go. "I'll be back later," he said leading Blaine with a light grip on the curly haired boy's forearm. "As soon as this one's employed."

Blaine gave a dorky half wave with a wide grin. Carole waved back in amusement, and if Kurt wasn't holding his arm he would have face palmed.

They stepped out into the warm summer air and Kurt let him go, turning to look at him for the first time since the left the house. "Well they seem nice," Blaine said with a smile.

Kurt only nodded making a facial expression Blaine couldn't quite discern.

"Princess!" A deep voice from before called. Both Kurt and Blaine turned to look as the Mohawk guy approached from the side of the store. He was in a wife-beater and low riding jeans held up by a thick leather belt, his brown eyes glinting with mischief.

"Noah," Kurt said with an eye roll as he got closer.

"Who's this," Noah asked gesturing to Blaine.

"I'm Blaine," Blaine said holding out his hand. Noah didn't take it; he just stared at him like he was some kind of alien creature before turning back to Kurt.

"He staying with you?"

"Yes," Kurt nodded.

"You two dating?"

Kurt scoffed crossing his arms. "No."

Puck smirked, "We'll see how long that'll last."

"Excuse me?" Kurt asked raising his brow.

Puck held his hands up, though his smirk didn't fade. "Calm down, princess, I'm going. Nice to meet you Blaine," he said holding out his hand. Blaine took it with slight wariness. They shook and let each other go before Puck took his leave; brushing Blaine's shoulder as he disappeared into the store.

"_Okay_," Blaine started.

"Yeah," Kurt shook his head. "I don't even have an explanation for that."

Blaine shrugged. Kurt shook his head again before nodding towards the car. "Come on, let's go." He stepped off of the porch and looked back at Blaine, cocking his head as a small smile spread across his face.

"The Berry's are going to love you."

* * *

**Comments, questions, concerns? Review!**

**P.S my favourite Jbro was Jo ;)**


	8. Golden Star

**Sorry just *ducks head in shame* I don't know where my mind is with this story but I feel like I've lost my groove a little bit. Not to mention that I've been grossly sick this last week so the chapter was written while my immune system was under attack like the mother lovin death star. I am recovering so next week will be awesome, my promises**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

CHAPTER SEVEN  
Golden Star

The soft rumble of the car filled the silence between them. Neither of them spoke and the radio wasn't on, yet the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Both boys were lost in their own thoughts, too deep for them to even notice there was a person next to them.

It wasn't until the car cut off that Blaine blinked his way back into reality, meeting Kurt's amused gaze with a small smile.

"What?" Blaine asked as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Nothing," Kurt said shaking his head. "You're just so…calm about all this, I guess."

Blaine shrugged, "When you stop carting me around I'll probably have a chance to freak out properly," Blaine said with a joking smile.

Kurt gave him a playful swat. "Oh hush, I'm just making sure you won't have a break down meeting the Berry's; they're pretty overbearing."

"Why do I feel like there's a story there?" Blaine asked cocking his head slightly.

"Because you're weirdly observant and because you've met Jeff," Kurt answered unbuckling his own seatbelt, before returning his gaze to Blaine. "So you're okay?"

Blaine nodded.

"Alright," Kurt said, not sounding too convinced. "Let's go."

They exited the car simultaneously, Kurt walking around the vehicle to stand next to Blaine. The curly haired boy looked up at the store sign written in sparkling gold.

"Golden Star," he read aloud.

"Literally," Kurt said rolling his eyes. "It's her thing.

Blaine glanced at Kurt, "why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

Kurt smiled, taking a step forward. "Because you're smart."

"Is it really that bad?" Blaine asked letting his smile drop for the first time. Kurt looked at him shaking his head.  
"Nah, I'm just saying that because she's my best friend. You'll love her."

Blaine nodded taking a deep breath. "Alright let's go," he replied pushing past Kurt before the boy could say anything.

With a slightly shaking hand Blaine pushed the store door open.

They were met with silence.

"That's odd," Kurt said after a few beats. He took a hesitant step forward, his doc martens echoing loudly through the large store.

It was nice, Blaine had to admit. With bountiful amounts of instruments hung up on the walls. There were racks of music books and rows and upon rows of cd's and records. But what caught the majority of his attention was the right wall. There was a stage. It stood about one foot off the ground, was covered with red carpet, a microphone stand, and a gorgeous white piano that was begging to be played. Damn, if this place was back in Westerville Blaine was sure he'd be a regular.

They stopped in front of the stage, Kurt looking around in confusion. "I told her we were coming, she wouldn't just leave."

"Maybe she hasn't gotten here yet?" Blaine offered.

"They live in the apartment above the store."

"…Oh."

The lights went out.

"Well that's different," Kurt quipped turning his attention to the stage. "Get ready for a show."

Darkness encompassed them for five more seconds before a spotlight shone on an Asian girl with a microphone in her hand.

"That's Tina," Kurt informed Blaine.

Blaine nodded but couldn't reply because music started loud enough to cut off anything he could possibly want to say.

"_Regrets collect like old friends  
Here to relive your darkest moments  
I can see no way, I can see no way  
And all of the ghouls come out to play"_

Tina's spotlight shot off, and another one came on the other side of the stage, this time illuminating a voluptuous black girl with a microphone.

"That's Mercedes."

"_And every demon wants his pound of flesh  
But I like to keep some things to myself  
I like to keep my issues drawn  
It's always darkest before the dawn"_

Her light went out, and in the middle of the stage a short brunette girl was illuminated holding a golden sparkly microphone.

"The infamous Rachel," Kurt whispered.

"_And I've been a fool and I've been blind  
I can never leave the past behind  
I can see no way, I can see no way  
I'm always dragging that horse around"_

All the lights turned back on. Tina walked towards Rachel as she sang.

"_Our love is questioned, such a mournful sound"_

Mercedes mimicked Tina.

"_Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground"_

They reached Rachel and put a single hand on each of her shoulders as she sang.

"_So I like to keep my issues drawn  
But it's always darkest before the dawn"_

Rachel ducked down and moved backwards while Mercedes and Tina took each other's hands and moved forward, all of them singing together.

"_Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa  
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa"_

Tina and Mercedes parted, crossing each other and moving to opposite sides of the stage. Tina sang:

"_And it's hard to dance, with the devil on your back."_

Mercedes answered.

"_So shake him off! Oh Woah!"_

Rachel walked forward, stopping at the front of the stage.

"_And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back  
And given half the chance would I take any of it back"_

She stepped off of it and stood in front of Blaine, taking his hand and pulling him onto the stage behind her.

_It's a fine romance but it's left me so undone  
It's always darkest before the dawn."_

She handed Blaine her microphone and stepped off of the stage to stand next to Kurt. Mercedes and Tina flanked Blaine offering him a reassuring smile. He shook his head but didn't hesitate, holding the golden microphone up to his lips.

"_And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't  
So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road  
And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope  
It's a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat  
'Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me  
Looking for heaven, found the devil in me  
Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me, yeah"_

As Blaine held the note, Tina and Mercedes rejoined him; all of them singing together in perfect harmony.

"_Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa  
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa  
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back  
So shake him off, oh whoa_

_Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa  
Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa  
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back  
So shake him off, oh whoa."_

The music trailed off into silence.

Blaine panted slightly, an almost manic smile on his face. Those lyrics had cut close to home. He was sure they hadn't meant to do it, but his heart was aching and it hurt more than he let show. But it had felt amazing to sing again, it'd been so long.

"You are amazing," Tina squealed breaking the after song haze.

"Damn, boy!" Mercedes said giving his arm an affectionate squeeze. "We are keeping you!"

"You didn't say he could sing," Rachel said to Kurt something akin to hurt on her face.

"No I didn't," Kurt started crossing his arms. "And you were just going to bring him up there anyway?"

Rachel shrugged, "We're hiring him without knowing anything about him. That's a pretty big risk on our part, I'm allowed to have some fun."

"I vouched his credibility," Kurt argued.

"Yes, but you did that last time too, and we all saw how well that turned out."

"Rachel," Mercedes warned stepping off of the stage to stand between Kurt and Rachel. Blaine glanced at Tina who had a worry line in her brow as she watched the exchange.

"What was that about?" he asked her quietly, not wanting to draw the hostility towards himself.

"Rachel doesn't like competition," she answered, taking the microphone that hung limply in his hand.

Rachel scoffed glaring at Tina. "That's not true," she said stepping onto the stage and taking the golden microphone out of her hand. "I just don't like smarmy dicks who—"

"_Okay_ Rachel," Kurt said cutting her off. "Do you have a job for him or not?"

"I just said so didn't I?" She rolled her eyes before moving to the side of the stage and putting the mike in the microphone stand. "How much do you like music, Blaine?" she asked doing a small pirouette to face him.

"A lot," he answered with a fond smile. "It's one of the biggest joys in my life."

She nodded walking towards him. "What do you play?"

"Piano, guitar, violin, harmonica, and oh man I'm killer on the tambourine."

Rachel's eyes bugged for a second before she controlled herself, but the motion didn't miss Kurt who snorted and gave Blaine a reassuring smile. Rachel moved to stand beside Blaine, her heavy brown gaze meeting his calm hazel ones.

"Do you want a job here?" she asked him.

"That would be nice, yes."

"Why?" Blaine furrowed his eyebrows slightly, glancing at Kurt who just shrugged like the helpful person that he is.

"Because I'm a Lost Boy," he said with a smile. "And it's a part of my duty to keep Hangman's Tree up and running."

"Hangman's tree?"

Kurt snorted rolling his eyes. "Peter Pan," he said not giving Blaine a chance to respond. "The name of their hideout is Hangman's tree."

"Ah," Rachel nodded in understanding before turning her attention back to Blaine. "Have you ever had a job before?"

Blaine shook his head. "Not one like this anyway."

"_Right."  
_

"But I'm a fast learner! And I'm good with people so your sales are going to through the roof."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Rachel warned.

"Oh cut the crap Rachel," Kurt said in frustration. "I know you're going to give him a job, especially with a voice like that. So hush and move on with it."

Rachel rolled her eyes and made a sound of annoyance before crossing her arms. "Fine, Blaine, you have a job."

"Awesome, thank you," he said with excitement stepping off of the stage to join her. Kurt noted that they were almost the same height and he had to repress a snicker. Rachel was one of the shortest people who knew, oh goodness, Santana was going to start calling them the Hobbit Twins he just knew it.

"You won't regret it," he continued.

"I'm sure," Rachel replied giving him a smile. "And, so you can get to know the gang, we shall have a party here tonight!"

Mercedes and Tina cheered giving each other quick hugs. "That's a great idea!" Mercedes whooped giving Blaine a hearty pat on the back. "There's no faster way to get to know someone than to get them drunk."

"Yeah," Tina agreed. "There are some things that you just can't go back from."

"This sounds like a cult," Blaine said with a breathy laugh.

"Does it have to be tonight?" Kurt asked Rachel with a slight plea in his voice. "He literally got here this morning, it's a bit much don't you think?"

Rachel shook her head clapping her hands. "It's a good way to test what he's made out of. Tonight, here, nine o'clock. My dads are out of town for a Cher concert, so y'all can crash here too. I'm inviting everyone so you better be ready to party!"

Mercedes and Tina let out another whoop, and Rachel joined in with them laughing at Kurt and Blaine's faces.

"Oh cheer up guys," Tina said. "Everything will be fine."

"And don't even think about not coming," Rachel staid turning her attentions back to them. "Just remember I know where you live _and_ who you live with. Jeff and Santana will make you come if it's the last thing they ever do."

Kurt rolled his eyes but exhaled in defeat. "Fine, whatever. We'll be there."

"I know" she said with a wink. "So I suggest you two go rest because tonight is going to be amazing. Oh and Blaine," she said to the brunette who raised a brow in acknowledgement. "You start on Monday."

* * *

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	9. An Awkward Encounter with an Undesirable

**This time it was my editors fault I promise you, but she's still beautiful and I still loves her so ssh and we'll act like this was on time :D**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

CHAPTER NINE  
An Awkward Encounter with an Undesirable Man

The next hour or so was filled with Rachel briefing Blaine on his duties and the proper conduct of Golden Star, while Kurt followed them around with morbid fascination and sympathy. Blaine took it all with grace though; being dragged from area to area with obvious interest, and memorizing each new piece of information with a smile. He really was trying, and Kurt was thankful that Blaine obviously wouldn't be a repeat of last time.

"Rule Number One," Rachel said loudly, pulling Kurt out of his thoughts. She stood on the outside of the counter while Blaine stood behind the cash register, watching her intently with his large hazel eyes. "We give all our service with a smile."

He offered a small smile causing Rachel to frown and shake her head. "I said a smile."

Blaine widened his smile, grinning until the smile lines that appeared when he laughed became visible. It seemed genuine enough, but Kurt could tell that it wasn't his authentic smile. It didn't reach his eyes, though the amount of warmth they conveyed anyway was incredible.

"Much better," Rachel nodded.

She went over how to use the cash register, and how to organize and order music books, cd's, and records. They moved up to the sound booth –through a narrow staircase that creaked with each step—and she went over how to use the lights and sound.

"Number two, always turn the lights and sound system off when you're leaving this room."

Blaine nodded, his hands lightly playing over the equipment. "I wouldn't want to burn the bulbs out."

Rachel clapped her hands joyfully, leading them back down the stairs and out of the cramped room. "I thought you said you didn't have an experience." It wasn't an accusation, and even if it was, the joy in her tone lightened any burden out of her voice.

"I have a lot of experience with stage work," he answered with a shrug.

"That's great actually," Rachel said leading them back to the stage. "Because that leads us to the last and most important rule—"

"—Don't steal her stage," Kurt said with a wink.

"_Please_," Rachel scoffed. "As if he could."

Blaine turned to Kurt and raised his eyebrow comically. "I think I have another challenge."

"If you want to embarrass yourself, then sure," Rachel said stepping up onto the stage. "Be prepared, I've been doing this for a long time."

Blaine chuckled shaking his head, "I've been doing it better, for longer."

"Oh snap," Kurt crooned bringing his fist to his mouth to hide a smirk. "I feel like I should be breaking this up before it turns into a full-fledged cat fight."

"Whatever," Rachel said with a hair flip.

"Just give me a day and we can settle this like adults," Blaine stated, and if he were a girl Kurt was sure Blaine would have flipped his hair as well.

"Great," Kurt mumbled under his breath. "Just another diva to add to the mix."

"What was that?" Rachel asked crossing her arms and staring him down.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "I said you guys should battle next week on karaoke night."

Rachel nodded, "That's a good idea."

"I know," Kurt agreed. "And to raise the stakes, the winner gets the golden microphone."

"The microphone she was singing with?" Blaine asked, cocking his head slightly.

"Yes," Kurt answered. "It's kind of super prestigious to be the owner of it, and if you can win it from Rachel you'll be a legend."

"_If_, being the operative word," Rachel quipped.

Blaine nodded appreciatively, "Sounds like fun, when's karaoke night?"

"Next week Saturday," Rachel responded.

"And what are the rules?"

Rachel looked at Kurt who pursed his lips in thought before regarding the both of them seriously. "I say you each pick one song to sing, and the night of the battle I'll choose a song that you both have to sing and we'll let the audience decide the winner. Deal?"

Rachel and Blaine nodded. "Sounds good."

"Great," Kurt said with an affirmative nod. "And on that note we're leaving."

"Good," Rachel said. "I need to start set-up."

"Where are Tina and Mercedes?" Kurt asked as the three of them walked to the door.

"They went to spread the news about the party."

Kurt scoffed but didn't reply as he opened the door and stepped through, followed closely by Blaine.

"May the best singer win," Rachel said solemnly holding out her hand for Blaine to shake. He looked at it before his gaze flickered up to hers and back down to the hand again. He took it and gave a firm hand shake.

"I will."

* * *

"You're so sassy," Kurt said with a laugh as he and Blaine strolled down Main Street to kill some time. It was just past noon and the sun was high in the sky, basking the two boys in a nice heat that wasn't too stifling for their impromptu stroll. "Rachel is going to put her all into her performance now; you're going to have to kill it."

"Boarding school," Blaine said. "It gives you a thick skin, and since violence is out the picture, sass basically becomes the first language. So don't worry, I can take her."

"I can only imagine," Kurt mused, tipping his face to the sun in thought. "Pranks, sass, a glee club, you're school sounds like a dream."

Blaine smiled, and Kurt watched him, a small _something _fluttering in his chest at the sight. "It is," Blaine replied. "I'm so happy I found it or else I don't know where I'd be."

"What do you—"

An arm fell onto both boys' shoulder from behind. Blaine started and jumped back, immediately smelling the smoke that clung to the stranger's body.

"Whoa, calm down there, Curly," Sebastian said holding out the hand that wasn't holding Kurt. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"What do you want Sebastian?" Kurt practically growled taking the boy's arm off him.

"Why do I need to want anything?" Sebastian retorted putting his hand in his pocket. "I saw an old acquaintance laughing and having a good time in front of me, so I figured I'd join in on the fun."

Kurt didn't move, though Sebastian was encroaching on his personal space. He just shook his head in disgust. "You're one of the few people I know like the back of my hand. I know you want something, so tell me what it is so that I can continue on my way."

Sebastian shrugged taking a step back, "I just wanted to see how you were."

"I'm fine." Kurt stated his tone as cold as ice. "You can go now."

"_Kurt_," Sebastian said a soft flicker of something in his tone. "Don't—"

"What do you want Sebastian?" Kurt asked again, cutting him off. "Is this just a joke to you?"

"No I—"

"Do you find this funny?"

Sebastian floundered, looking around to find the right thing to say to calm Kurt's ire but he couldn't find them. He met Blaine's eyes for a brief second, cool grass meeting warm honey, and Blaine saw the sincerity and _something_ in Sebastian's eyes before they left his and returned to the angry impossible eyed boy.

"Yes," he answered, a cold indifference schooling over his features. "What can I say? Look how passionately you react; you're face gets all red, and your hands ball into fists, and your face becomes as cold as my heart. It's amusing to see how much control I have over you. "

Kurt looked like he was on the verge of tears, so when he spoke his voice was low and as dangerous as Blaine had ever heard it.

"Get the hell out of sight. Now."

"Kurt…

"Go!" Kurt yelled. When nobody moved, he turned and stormed past Blaine at a fast walk that was almost a run.

"Kurt wait," Sebastian tried, taking a few steps forward. But Kurt didn't so much as flinch.

Blaine looked at the calling boy, raising an eyebrow because he didn't really know what to say.

"Fuck off," Sebastian hissed before whirling around and storming in the other direction. He paused and looked over his shoulder noticing Blaine watching him contemplatively. "Our offer still stands just so you know," Sebastian said with a small shrug. "If you want it."

Blaine just nodded, and Sebastian smiled before wandering back the way he came.

What the hell just happened?

Turning his attention back to Kurt, Blaine saw that he was far down the road, and he had to jog to catch up to the boy who was still walking. "Are you okay?" Blaine asked tentatively when they'd walked for a few minutes in a weighted silence that was only broken by the occasional car.

"I'm fine," Kurt answered slowing his pace a bit. "Sorry I just…" he stopped and wiped his hands over his eyes quickly and took a deep breath. "I'm fine."

Blaine didn't buy it at all. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not at all," Kurt replied with a short laugh that bordered on manic. "I'm fine, I promise."

Blaine nodded slowly, biting his lip and scrunching his eyebrows. "You know I don't believe you right?"

Kurt shrugged, his features mellowing into something a little more natural. "It really doesn't matter what you believe."

"Okay," Blaine said resisting the urge to take a step back. "Fine. What are we doing now?"

Kurt looked around himself as if he'd totally lost his bearings, which he probably had considering the state he was in. Blaine really wanted to know what possibly could have happened to cause a reaction like that. He wondered if Sebastian would tell him if he asked, but that boy screamed trouble, and Blaine doubted he could trust a word out of his mouth. Yet he had seemed sincere in his pleas… this was far too early to start delving into Kurt's history, he'd only just met the man after all.

"We're close to Fabray's," he answered. "We'll go there, get a coffee and a treat and then head home, sound good?"

Blaine gave a small smile. "A coffee sounds nice."

"Good," Kurt responded. "And just, sorry again. Sebastian is the Hook to my Pan."

"You're Pan?" Blaine asked.

Kurt scoffed and started walking. "You don't think you're Pan do you?"

"No, I'm not Pan. But you seemed more Wendy to me."

Kurt scoffed again, "I am not Wendy."

"You keep thinking that," Blaine said with a playful wink.

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

Blaine laughed, "You sound like Rachel. Petulant when faced with defeat."

Kurt narrowed his eyes, "There is no defeat here. You're wrong, but you won't accept it so I'm moving on."

"Ah that's what you're calling it," Blaine said pursing his lips dramatically. "See where I'm from, it's called defeat."

Kurt rolled his eyes with an affectionate smile. "You're an idiot."

"It's all a part of my charm."

Kurt just laughed. "I think all you're charm comes from your hair."

Blaine let out a small screech, and grabbed his head, pulling the long strands of curls into his line of sight. "Thank you for reminding me!" he cried. "I need to buy hair gel."

Kurt made a face.

"What?" Blaine asked giving Kurt a face back.

"We're here," Kurt said stopping outside a small white painted café with light pink accents and the name _Fabray's Café_ written in pink cursive. "We'll talk about the hair inside."

* * *

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	10. Mermaid Lagoon

**I haven't watched the season finale, how was it? None of the Klainers seem happy :/**

**And as always, many thanks to my lovely beta wheelsjustkeeponturning, on tumblr. **

**Enjoy :)**

CHAPTER TEN  
Mermaid Lagoon

The first thing Blaine noticed when he stepped into the small cafe was that it was air conditioned. He hadn't realized the other places were lacking the cool air until now. He took a deep breath and let the breeze wash over him; he hadn't even realized how hot he was.

The second thing he noticed was the small fountain that broke the cafe into two parts; to the left was the ordering station, and to the right was the sitting area. Water so pure it seemed blue trickled down the rocks of the fountain, and pooled into the basin where pennies and other various coins shone brightly at the bottom.

Blaine walked up to it, and rested his hands on either side of the cool stone looking down into the basin.

"What are you looking for?" A cool woman's voice asked from next to him.

"I don't know," Blaine said without tearing his gaze away. He couldn't bring himself to distract his attention from the gentle waves of the pool.

"Then how will you know when you find it?" She asked, her voice neither condescending nor judgmental.

"When not if?" Blaine asked, cocking his head as he watched the gentle ripples of the waterfall hitting the pool. "You have faith," he continued, eyes taking in the way light danced on the pool's surface, and how no matter how much water dropped into the basin, it never overfilled.

"You could say that," she said with a nod of her head. "Come." Gentle fingers tipped Blaine's head up, breaking the spell of the fountain. He blinked a few times before the fingers turned his head and he came face to face with a woman with bright green eyes and long blonde hair that cascaded past her waist.

"Hey there," she said with a soft grin, "I'm Quinn."

Blaine held out his hand and gave a soft smile back, still feeling disoriented. "Blaine."

She threw her head back in a melodic laugh taking his hand and pulling him to the line behind Kurt. "Trust me," she said when Kurt gave her acknowledging nod. "I know."

"The usual for you, Kurt?" she asked as she hopped over the counter.

"Obviously," Kurt replied resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"I'd like a—" Blaine started, but was cut off by Quinn putting a perfectly manicured (nails painted dusty pink) finger to his lips.

"I'll get you what you need," she said, before disappearing through the doors to what Blaine had to assume was the kitchen.

He blinked twice, turning to look at Kurt question evident on his face.

"Let's take a seat."

* * *

"So your hair," Kurt said as they took their seats.

"Ugh," Blaine moaned running his hands through the tangle of his curls. "Isn't it hideous?"

Kurt scoffed leaning back in his seat. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Please," Blaine argued. "You haven't had to live with this for your entire life, my hair is terrible."

Kurt just shook his head, giving Blaine a look. "You have thick dark curly locks, who doesn't want that?"

"People who like their hair to stay where they put it." Blaine retorted with an eye roll of his own.

"I don't trust you with gel," Kurt said matter of factly, staring at Blaine's hair like it held the answer to the universe.

"Ouch?"

"How much do you use?" Kurt carried on, seemingly indifferent to Blaine's exclamation.

Blaine shrugged, eyes glancing around the well lit room that seemed to exude calm and peace. "A dollop or two?"

Kurt's eyes practically bugged out of his head. "What do you mean a dollop?"

"…One or two teaspoons?"

"Blaine!" Kurt exclaimed leaning forward dramatically. "You don't need more than the size of a dime, a quarter at most!"

Blaine just shook his head, "You are _so _mistaken."

"Do you want to bet?" Kurt asked leaning back off of the table. "And be careful with your answer because you're going to lose."

"The nerve of the people in this town," Blaine said mostly to himself. And then to the pale boy sitting in front of him, "I'll take that bet."

"And the loser has to do whatever I, the winner, decides."

"Or whatever _I,_ the winner, decides," Blaine retorted.

"So it's a deal?" Kurt asked, raising a single perfect eyebrow.

"Oh you are so on."

Kurt smiled, and shook Blaine's outstretched hand.

"May the most stylish man win."

"I'm glad to see you two are getting along," Quinn said, appearing out of nowhere behind Blaine with a tray of goodies.

"Of course," Blaine said turning a bright smile towards the beautiful girl. "He's my Wendy."

Kurt scoffed, "I am _not_ Wendy!"

"I don't know," Quinn said, cocking her head and squinting her eyes as she scrutinized her friend. "It makes sense."

"You're high," Kurt pouted, crossing his arms defiantly.

Quinn just shrugged neither agreeing or disagreeing, Blaine had to stifle a laugh. He really liked this girl. "So Quinn," Blaine started when the girl placed the tray down on the table between the two boys, "How do you like working here?"

Quinn pushed a wayward hair behind her ear, before giving Blaine an amused glance. "Well considering that my mother owns this place, I like working here quite a lot."

"Is everything here self-owned?" Blaine asked looking at Kurt in fond exasperation. He couldn't deny that he loved the charm of a self-run town. It was undeniably quaint and hospitable, with all the familiarity and tender touches most chains ignored or forgot.

"Only the ones that matter," Quinn said with a laugh. "Where've you been dragged to already?"

"Everywhere!" Blaine said with a dramatic flourish.

Kurt smirked. "Barely," he intervened. "Don't listen to a word he says, I think he's in the works to be a bigger drama queen than Rachel."

Quinn let out a loud gasp, "That's possible?"

Kurt shrugged reaching for his cup of coffee. "Apparently."

"Wow," she said giving Blaine an appreciative scan of his body. "The boys you find, Hummel."

"It's a gift." Kurt paused, holding the coffee to his lips. "Because I'm Pan."

Quinn rolled her eyes but didn't argue, a small smile playing on her lips.

"So what did you get me?" Blaine asked Quinn, looking up at her with a coy smile. "What do I, quote unquote, need?"

Quinn nudged the cup that was left on the tray towards him. "Drink and find out."

Blaine quirked an eyebrow but accepted the challenge, picking up the steaming white mug with gentle fingers. He blew on it for a brief moment before closing his eyes and taking a sip.

He rolled his eyes as soon as the liquid hit his tongue.

"Really?" he asked giving her a look.

She just winked, taking the biscotti and cheesecake slice off the tray as she did so. "Think of it as foreshadowing," she said her smile growing immensely. "Now I'll be back in a little bit, until then, you boys enjoy your drinks."

And with that dismissal, Quinn was gone.

Kurt looked at Blaine, raising an eyebrow in question.

Blaine just sighed and gave his cup the death glare, as if he could melt it completely with his thoughts alone. "She spiked it," he said with another sigh. "With Bailey's, if my tongue serves me right."

* * *

**Comments, questions, concerns? Review!**


	11. Let the Games Begin

**Wow it's been a very long time. Sorry about that. My computer crashed and took a week and a half to repair, then I had to find all my files because they were scattered everywhere, and re-download everything onto my hard drive. And I do mean everything, I was left with Internet Explorer for goodness sake! But when I did all that I wrote this and sent it off to my Beta who was at Leakycon so she couldn't edit it anyway. But now it's edited, and good, and the party starts next chapter that will be on time so help me god so yeah enough of my rambling and enjoy!**

* * *

CHAPTER ELEVEN  
Let the Games Begin

Kurt rolled his eyes, not even showing surprise at the blatant audacity of his friend serving a minor alcohol in broad daylight.

"I could totally sue her," Blaine said with an amused laugh as he took another sip. "But I won't because she mixes a mean drink."

"I hope you have a high tolerance," Kurt said as he fiddled with a metal fork in his hand. He was staring down at the cheesecake Quinn had placed in front of them, eyes slightly glazed over as he thought.

Blaine shrugged, "Decent, probably."

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Probably?"

"Drinking was never really a favorite pastime of the Dalton boys," Blaine started, eyes being drawn to the movement of Kurt's fork. "I've only been to maybe three parties, and I've only gotten wasted once, when I was fourteen."

Kurt nodded, moving his thoughtful gaze away from cheesecake and onto Blaine. "All I can say," he started, "Is get ready for the craziest night of your life."

Blaine laughed, his loose curls bouncing as he did so, a movement that sent a tiny smile to Kurt's face. "I feel like we're going to wake up missing half our group, with a tiger in the bathroom, and a baby in the closet."

"You know what?" Kurt asked finally taking a bite of the cheesecake. "I'm pretty sure the Hangover is a work of fiction, so I'm like 75% sure we'll be okay."

"Not going to lie," Blaine said in between sips of his spiked drink. "Seventy five is too low a number for me to feel reassured."

"Blame Finn," Kurt retorted with a sigh. "Or Jeff, or Santana."

"Trouble magnets?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Kurt exclaimed shaking his head. "Now add alcohol into the mix and it's—"

"A party," Quinn said, slinking back in front of the table. She moved so quietly, Blaine mused to himself, and with such grace. Maybe she was a dancer, or a gymnast.

"I was going to say nightmare," Kurt corrected before turning his attention back to Blaine. "That's why we always have one person who stays sober. And that person is always me."

Blaine shook his head, his mouth curled into a small frown and his brow slightly furrowed. "That hardly sounds like fun."

"It isn't," Quinn interjected, stealing an empty seat from the table adjacent to theirs, pulling it up, and sitting in it. She kicked off her shoes and tucked her knees underneath her, spreading her flowery dress over her legs.

Kurt gave her a look which she returned before Kurt just shook his head.

"You're not allowed to stay sober this time." Blaine said matter of factly, taking the last sip of his laced coffee.

Quinn smiled. "I agree with Blainey."

"I'm not getting drunk," Kurt stated.

"If you don't, I don't," Blaine countered crossing his arms on the table. "And it'll ruin everyone's fun."

"No." Kurt said his eyes turning steely and cold. "No means no."

"I can be stubborn too, Kurt," Blaine said leaning back in his seat. "I'm not about to get shit faced without a partner in crime, and no I don't want you sober because it won't be fun for you, and you'll probably get into trouble for whatever things I break."

"He's got a point," Quinn quipped, watching Kurt's cold mask thaw. "And I know you've always wanted to since Se—"

"Fine," Kurt cut her off. "I'll get wasted with you. But Quinn, you better find someone to stay sober because I don't want us to trash the Berry's place."

Quinn rolled her eyes tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "She offered to use her place, if it gets trashed it's her fault."

"But it's the only place that's big enough to comfortably hold all of us, and she has every song ever. So find someone."

Quinn pulled a face but responded with a resigned 'fine.'

"Great," Blaine said with a smile. "This is going to be so much fun."

"Yeah," Kurt said sarcastically, "It's going to be a real blast."

"You guys should go," Quinn said from her seat. "It's getting late and you'll probably want to get all spiffed up and looking nice."

Kurt narrowed his eyes, a look she greeted with a warm smile. "Fine," he finally conceded, standing and motioning for Blaine to do the same.

They walked towards the exit, Kurt and Blaine next to each other with Quinn trailing behind them with an amused grin on her face. Blaine exited first, holding it open for Kurt who exits before turning to look back at Quinn, whose smirk had fallen into a bright smile that lit up her green eyes.

"It was really nice meeting you, Blaine," she said tipping her blonde head forward slightly.

"Likewise," Blaine replied with a smile. "We'll see you tonight."

"Oh I'm counting on it," she said with a wink before blowing Kurt a kiss and walking back into the cool lagoon of her café, her long blonde hair swishing behind her.

"She was nice," Blaine said when they were settled into Kurt's car, the AC blaring.

Kurt just scoffed in response.

* * *

"I don't trust this," Kurt said as soon as soon as they pulled up to his house. He shut off the engine and looked around suspiciously; eyes boring into every bush, and up into the leaves of the oak tree that sat on the lawn.

"What's wrong?" Blaine asked, nervousness creeping through his body.

"It's too quiet."

Without saying anything more, Kurt slid out of the car, closing the door as silently as possible. Blaine mimicked the movement and went to stand next to the taller boy whose eyes were still scanning the property.

"A prank?" Blaine asked under his breath.

"Most likely," Kurt answered.

"What do we do?

Kurt glanced at Blaine. "We have two choices. We either try to figure out what it is and avoid it; or we walk straight into it, and retaliate later."

"Well it's the first prank right? So it can't be too big. And if they're making it this obvious then it's probably just a scare tactic."

"Meaning?"

"This prank is probably a loud noise thing."

Kurt let out a low whistle, "You really do this a lot don't you?"

Blaine shrugged. "Think about it. It's quiet, too quiet. Our first reaction was to match the silence so we don't stand out. Our nerves just went up a hundred levels, and we're going to move slowly to stay quiet, drawing out the suspense. Therefore, to break the suspense and fulfill the prank, the desired intention must be a loud noise to break us out of our state of silence. We'll get scared, maybe we'll scream, they'll laugh and they win the first prank."

Kurt nodded a small smile forming on his face. "So the question is where is the noise going to come from?"

"They've either left it somewhere for us to trigger, or they're hiding somewhere in the house waiting for us to walk by."

"Then let's hope that it's the first so we can stop it."

Blaine paused cocking his head slightly. "Maybe we shouldn't."

"You want us to walk into it?"

Blaine shrugged, "It's early in the game. We shouldn't let them know how good I am at this just yet. We'll lure them into feeling secure and when they're happy and feeling like they've won, we'll strike."

Kurt hummed in amusement. "Sneaky Blaine."

The brunette just shrugged, "I take this very seriously."

Kurt shook his head. "I can tell. This will be an interesting summer."

"Oh I'm very excited for it."

"Alright let's go," Kurt said. "This sun has made me gross and sweaty and I want to shower."

"Don't forget to act scared," Blaine added. "They need to believe this."

"Of course," Kurt said with a roll of his eyes before heading towards the front door. "I'll scream like you've never heard anyone scream before."

"I'm counting on it."

Together they both walked silently to the door, looking around themselves in their fake nervousness. Their footsteps barely made any sound as their quiet breaths synchronized. They reached the door and Kurt looked at Blaine, raising an eyebrow as signal to go.

Slowly, Blaine gripped the handle and turned it so that it didn't make any noise. When it was turned all the way, he took a deep breath and threw the door open.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOGGGGGAAAA AAAAAAAAA!

The loud blast of an air horn ripped through the building. Blaine let out a scream and stumbled back, covering his ears. Kurt covered his heart, fear wide in his eyes though Blaine couldn't tell if he'd screamed or not.  
As soon as the sound dissipated, the duo heard raucous laughter coming from the top of stairs as Santana and Jeff fell on top of each other laughing.

Kurt rolled his eyes and stepped through the doorway first, crossing his arms at the pair.

"Y-your face," Jeff screeched holding onto his stomach. "Oh god, it's too f-funny, 'Tana I can't, I c-can't breathe."

"Oh you poor suckers," Santana said wiping her eyes. "That was too great."

"Hardy har har," Kurt said sarcastically.

"Oh don't be like that," Santana chided. "That was super low-key."

"Yeah, giving me a heart attack –low-key."

"Kurt, your face!" Jeff screeched. "We should have recorded that!"

"We'll have many other chances," Santana said to Jeff with a smile, and then to Blaine. "War has begun Hobbit, let's see what you can do."

Without another word Santana took Jeff's hand and led the still laughing boy to his room, shutting the door behind her.

A huge smile grew on Blaine's face as he turned to Kurt whose own conspiratorial grin was forming.

"Round one to Klaine," Blaine whispered before shutting the door behind him.

* * *

**Comments, questions, concerns? Review! :)**


	12. Author's Note

**Author's Note below:**

* * *

And so the question remains, what do we do now?

Cory's death has shaken the entire Glee fandom to its core. It's heartbreaking, terrible news to know that he's no longer with us and it is the reason I'm posting this note now.

What should I do?

It doesn't feel right continuing this fic, or at the very least this party scene, because Finn is in and I feel like it's a bit offensive to Cory's memory. But maybe it isn't.

So, my beautiful readers, I want to know your opinion. Should I stop this fic completely, take a hiatus, or keep writing? I'll admit I really do love writing this story, but I will leave it solely up to your discretion for I trust your judgement.

Leave me a review to let me know, and I'll also set up a poll on my page if that's easier.

Thank you very much, and a hug to all of you to help us through this loss.


	13. There's a Thing Called Knocking

**I just want to say thank you all so much for your encouraging reviews about why I should keep on writing. You're right, this is an honour to Cory and is a wonderful way to keep him alive in our memories. I'll do what I can to do my part, and I'm so glad to hear that you guys like my story this much; it nearly made my cry to be completely honest. So here's the next chapter, and keep on reviewing because just wow, you're thoughts are beautiful things.**

**After quite a wait...  
**

* * *

CHAPTER TWELVE

There's a Thing Called Knocking

* * *

"So should I even ask about Klaine?" Kurt asked Blaine a few hours later as everyone was getting ready to go party.

"It's our combined name," Blaine replied pulling on his black Vans the only shoes he has aside from his running shoes. "We didn't have a team name yet so I improvised one. Kurt CoBlaine, Blurt, and We're Singing in the Klaine, work just as well."

"You're ridiculous," Kurt laughed, rolling his eyes.

"Nope," Blaine said leaning against the door. "You just underestimate the power of a good team name."

"He's right," Jeff said from the top of the stairs, clad in khaki coloured jeans and red v neck that made his light hazel eyes pop. "No awesome team has a bad name. Team rocket, Team Freewill, The A-Team, the list goes on."

"Oh yeah?" Kurt argued while Jeff descended the stairs. "Then what's you and Santana's team name?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Santana said, coming from the kitchen with her usual smirk plastered on her face.

Kurt crossed his arms indignantly. "You're really not going to tell me?"

She laughed blowing him a kiss, "Where's the fun in that?"

Kurt sighed but didn't press it, choosing to eye the ragtag group instead. "So everyone has everything?" he asked once everyone put their shoes on.

Santana rolled her eyes. "Yes mother. Can we _go _now?"

"Oh be kind," Jeff smiled slinging his arm over her shoulders. "Little Kurtsy is just nervous because Blaine is awesome and is making him break his no drinking rule."

Santana's smirk dropped into a perfect 'o' of surprise before she gave Blaine a long look, one eyebrow rising slowly. "I have definitely underestimated you, Hobbit," she said nodding her head slowly. "Well done."

"Aha, thanks?" Blaine replied nervously, looking at Kurt who had a scowl growing on his face.

"No I'm serious," Santana said, "Do you know how hard I've tried?"

"Yes," Kurt interrupted. "But you're a bad influence and I never listen to you."

She scoffed and walked past him opening the door. "You'll listen to me now," she said. "Let's go."

The boys didn't argue.

* * *

Much to their surprise, the party was already in full swing when the group pulled up fifteen minutes later. The infamous Artie, who Blaine had yet to meet, had left a couple of hours ago to set up the sound system and bring things to help Rachel out.

Puck, Finn and Jake were the resident booze bringers, though Santana also brought her own secret mix that she called the Liver Buster.

Rachel had told them to show up around nine, but it seemed like everybody turned up earlier except these punctual mother fuckers, and now the bass was pounding loudly out of the store. Another plus of the music store? Nobody lived around here so they could blast music as loud as they wanted, it was incredible.

Kurt parked as Jeff and Santana bounded out of the car before it even stopped moving. "Time to get loose!" Santana yelled circling an arm around Jeff's waist.

"I am going to drink you under the table!" Jeff goaded tickling her side.

She swatted his hand away and opened the door shaking her head. "In your dreams."

Kurt and Blaine watched them enter the store before they both let out slightly shaky breaths.

"You ready for this?" Kurt asked Blaine.

Blaine gave him a cheeky smile and nudged his arm. "I think the real question is, are you?"

"Psh please—" Kurt paused. "I don't know your last name. What's your last name? I can't goad you properly without using your last name."

"Anderson," Blaine said with a laugh. "Blaine Anderson."

Kurt made an impressed face before going back to the point. "Psh please, Anderson." Kurt picked up. "I was born ready."

"That's not what Santana says," Blaine said with a wink before hopping out of the car.

"Like I said before," Kurt corrected, joining him as they crossed the street to the store. "Santana is a terrible influence."

"But if she mixes a drink as well as Quinn, I really don't think I mind."

Kurt rolled his eyes before opening the door. "I really hope you don't."

"Kurt!" Finn exclaimed as soon as they stepped through the door. "And B..Barn…Short Dude! Shit dude, I'm sorry I don't remember your name I'm sorry I'm sort of, I'm sort of tipsy," he said with a dopey grin.

"Finn," Kurt said with a nod.

"You need a drink," Finn continued with a head nod.

"Puck!" he called into the room where Blaine could see everybody milling around. Some were dancing, others were talking (though Blaine didn't know how over the pulse of the music), some were gathered around what looked like the main DJ station, and they all had a drink of some sort in their hands. It seemed totally chill and before he could stop himself, Blaine felt himself relaxing.

"Here," Puck said, shoving a red solo cup into his hand. "Drink up pretty boy, the party is just getting started."

"I—"

Before Blaine could protest or say thanks or _anything_, Puck shoved Blaine's hand to his mouth and tipped the cup until alcohol burned down his throat. And he didn't let go until it was done.  
Blaine spluttered and took a step back, wiping his mouth.

"You too," Puck said to Kurt, giving him a cup.

"You don't have to force feed me," Kurt retorted, putting the cup to his lips.

"You didn't have to shove it down my throat either," Blaine spluttered.

"Think of it as practice," Puck said with a wink, making Blaine choke on air but paying him no mind as he turned back to Kurt. "Drink up, princess."

Kurt and Puck met heavy gazes before Puck just winked and crossed his arms. Kurt sighed and tipped his head all the way back, and downed the entire cup.

"That's my boy!" Puck whooped, slapping Kurt on the back. "Let's get this party started!"

There was a loud cheer from the rest of the room, and two more drinks were shoved into their hands. Blaine had time to recognize it as Santana's special Liver Buster before his hand was being tipped (gently this time,) and he was downing the shot. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Kurt do the same.

Things got blurry after that.

There were more shots. _So_ many shots. Vodka shots, tequila shots, whiskey, rum, far too many Liver Busters, and cum shots that were taking off of Jeff's stomach. Rachel sang, Finn sang, Mercedes belted, Tina danced, Quinn stripped, Puck got to third base with a plastic fern, Artie dj'd, Jeff was just _everywhere_, and Santana sat on the floor with Kurt and Blaine trying to convince them do to stupid shit.

"Kiss," she said, holding the "ss" a little longer than necessary. "It would be s-so hot," she slurred nodding to herself. "Go on!" she waved her hand in a 'do as I say' manner, and pouted when all Kurt and Blaine did was look at each other.

Kurt raised his eyebrow, and Blaine wiggled his suggestively. Kurt cocked his head slightly and shrugged as nonchalantly as he could with limited control on his muscle movement. Blaine's gaze flickered to Kurt's lips and back to his eyes again before settling onto a dopey smile.

"I'm going to placeth a kisseth upon you lipeths," Blaine crooned leaning into Kurt's space.

Kurt giggled, "You sound dumb."

"No," Blaine pouted stopping his movement. "I sound….I s-sound…"

"Sexy," Santana offered, watching the exchange intensely.

"Yes!" Blaine exclaimed in triumph. "I sound _sexy!_ Admit it, or no kisseth for youeth."

Kurt frowned. "No kiss for you then."

Blaine pouted and flopped to the floor dramatically, lying down like he was trying to make a floor-angel. "All by myyseeellf," he crooned loudly, slurring the words together. "My lips don't wanna be, all by themseeelves, anymore!"

"Ssh," Kurt hissed, waving his hand in a spastic manner. "Sh-sh quiet, you're so…you're so l-loud."

Blaine turned to look at Kurt, jaw set determinedly. "Kiss me and I'll be silent as a mouse."

Kurt frowned and looked at Santana who nodded and smiled. "Make it a good one," she offered with a wink.

Kurt tried to roll his eyes, but gave up on the motion half way through; far too drunk for the fine movement of eye rolling. He turned back to Blaine who was still sprawled out on the ground, laughing at something funny the ceiling had said.

Kurt leaned over him, and braced one hand on the other side of his body so that he was practically draped on top of Blaine. "You wanna kiss?" he hiccupped, blinking to get Blaine in focus.

The hazel eyed boy nodded, eyes flickering to Kurt's lips and back to his eyes. "Kiss me like one of your French girls, Jack," Blaine giggled biting his lip.

"You're such a dork," Kurt whined shaking his head.

"You think I'm _adorkable,_" Blaine said with a grin. "Now shuddup and kiss me so Santana will stop leering."

Kurt moved to look at Santana who was watching them with big eyes. "Kiss the boy!" she yelled. "My heart can't take any more of your flirting."

Kurt ignored her, and turned back to Blaine who was watching him expectantly. Blaine licked his lips and smirked when Kurt followed the movement. "Go on then Eric," he said with a wink. "Kiss the girl."

Kurt laughed but moved in closer, his lips brushing Blaine's, their breaths mixing together reeking of alcohol.

"Well look-y here," a voice sneered from above Kurt and Blaine. "Everyone getting close and comfy at this raving party, I can't believe I wasn't invited."

Kurt groaned and rolled off of Blaine, getting to a wobbly stand on his feet. "Hello, Sebastian."

* * *

**Comments, questions, concerns? Review!**

**Bonus Question: should i make my chapters longer?**


	14. Trouble

**Well this is a quick update! After getting hit with writing inspiration last night, I was going to post this tomorrow, but then I realized I'd be out all day so you get it early instead *crowd cheers* Your thoughts on my chapter's lengths are tied right now, so I'll keep them the same unless I'm aggressively told otherwise. Either way, keep on reviewing because they truly are lovely and inspiring and I love you all so much *grabs you all in for a group hug***

**As always many thanks to my beautiful Beta who you can find at .come. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTEEN  
Trouble

"What are you doing here?" Santana asked sloppily, glaring at the boy who watched them with his perpetual smirk stuck on his face.

"I was in the mood to party," he shrugged. "So I followed the sound of shitty Broadway tunes and found the only losers in town who actually listen to this garbage."

Kurt squinted at him, taking a wobbly threatening foot forward. "You should leave."

"Why?" Sebastian asked, cocking his head to the side. "The party's just about to get started." Before Santana could complain, he plucked the drink out of her hand and downed it, wincing at the taste. "Yeah, I can truly say I haven't missed these."

"You've had it before?" Blaine blurted because he was drunk and well, impulse control stops becoming a thing when drunk.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, looking down at Blaine who was still sprawled out on the floor. "Oh shortstop, you have no idea."

"Leave!" Kurt yelled, his voice pinching at the end.

"Oh don't get your knickers in a twist," Sebastian said sitting down next to Santana. "I won't be any trouble."

"Bullshit," Kurt spat, turning to face Blaine. He held out his hand and pulled the shorter boy to his feet, taking a moment to let Blaine steady himself so the room would stop spinning, before pulling him over to where Mercedes was just hopping off of the stage.

"Hey Kurtsie," she said with a smile, pinching his cheek before he smacked it off. "Oh no," she cried, looking at her hand in disbelief. "What's the matter?"

Kurt just pointed in the general direction of Sebastian before planting himself on the edge of the stage.

"Shit," she breathed, sobering up immediately, before making eye contact with Puck and beckoning him over.

Puck was shirtless and the belt of his jeans was gone, so they were riding low on his hips as he swaggered over. "Sup?' he slurred, a happy grin on his face. Mercedes pointed to Sebastian, and was about to say something before she realized she was talking to air. Puck was already marching over to the seated boy, a look of pure ire on his face.

"The hell you think you're doing here?" Puck asked, man handling Sebastian to his feet.

"Calm down," he said, patting Puck's hand. "I just came here to party."

"Well you're not invited," Puck hissed before roughly letting him go. "So get out of here."

Sebastian just brushed himself off. "I have it on good authority that you guys weren't raised by wolves, so where are your good manners? Your parents would be so ashamed."

Puck growled again, raising a steady fist. "I won't ask again. GET. OUT."

"Kurt," Sebastian called. "Please call off your little guard dog. We don't want things to get ugly now do we?"

The music was quieting down as everybody became aware of Sebastian's presence. Blaine felt the atmosphere shift from drunken happiness to focused anger and annoyance. Sebastian had a certain type of effect on people.

"Oh, no answer?" he fake pouted as the party goers moved in closer. "We don't really want a repeat of last time, do we?" he asked turning his attention back to Puck. "I know how much _Kurtsie_ hates hospitals."

"What do you want?!" Kurt practically screeched, leaping up from his spot on the stage and over to the middle of the room.

"I know you have better things to do than party crash."

"I told you," Sebastian replied, gently placing his hand on top of Puck's fist and lowering it. "I just want a drink."

Santana and Quinn looked at each other before they both shrugged. "A drink it is," Quinn said calmly, bringing her red solo cup forward. "And no," she continued as he took the cup. "It's not Santana's Liver Buster."

He gave her a small gracious smile before taking a big gulp and taking a step back from Puck. "See?" he said to the group, "That's not too bad is it?"

"Okay," Rachel said taking a step forward. Sebastian raised his brow at her, surprised she hadn't fallen since she was always such a sloppy drunk. "You've had your d-drink," she stuttered out, crossing her arms. "Now go."

"Rude," he chided, pushing past her. "I don't even get to sing first?"

She snorted. "You're not _worthy_ of s-stepping onto my stage."

He shrugged as he stepped onto it, taking hold of the microphone. "Too late."

Blaine looked up at Sebastian from his spot on the stage, and then back down at himself again, and then back to Sebastian. "Should I…should I move?" he asked uncertainly.

Sebastian smirked. "I think you should join me."

Blaine frowned and looked at all the party goes. Jeff, Quinn, Puck, Mercedes, Tina, Jake, and Sam were all shaking their heads and mouthing various forms of 'don't do it.' Santana and Rachel were nodding spastically, and Kurt looked so pissed off his face was turning red.

"I love it when he does that," Sebastian whispered into Blaine's ear. Blaine jumped and turned his head, his cheek slamming into Sebastian's mouth, which just puckered and kissed his cheek with enthusiasm. "Rawr," Sebastian growled in his ear. How had he gotten so close? "Any other time I'd be all game, but this really isn't a good time. Rain check?"

Blaine pushed himself up and backed away from the stage, wiping his cheek with disgust.

"I'll take that as a no," Sebastian said with a laugh. "Oh well, guess I'm going solo."

"No," Kurt said, stepping forward. "I'll sing with you."

Sebastian smiled a toothy grin. "Just like old times, eh?"

Kurt didn't even reply. Just walked onto the stage, taking the other microphone. "Crowd, choose a song," he said. "Let's get this over with."

"Me, me me me choose me!" Rachel yelled waving her hand in the air like she was at school. "I have the perfect song for you two!"

Kurt nodded his head, and she squealed running over to Artie (still not falling), and whispering her request in his ear. The boy chuckled, and typed something into his i-tunes before giving the nod to Kurt that everything was ready.

"Let's do this," he said into the microphone. Artie clicked play and a familiar tune wafted around them. Sebastian and Kurt rolled their eyes at the same time but Santana nodded and muttered "Perfect choice," to herself.

Sebastian turned to Kurt and smiled, "I guess I'll start," he said with a wink, before raising the microphone to his lips.

_Once upon a time a few mistakes ago  
I was in your sights, you got me alone  
You found me, you found me, you found me_

Kurt stepped forward and Sebastian moved back, giving Kurt the next part of the verse.

_I guess you didn't care, and I guess I liked that  
And when I fell hard you took a step back  
Without me, without me, without me_

_And he's long gone when he's next to me  
And I realize the blame is on me_

_Cause I knew you were trouble when you walked in  
So shame on me now_

Sebastian took over, standing next to Kurt.

_Flew me to places I'd never been_

Kurt took over, anger heavy in his tone.

_'Til you put me down, oh_

Together they sang;

_I knew you were trouble when you walked in  
So shame on me now  
Flew me to places I'd never been  
Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground  
Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble  
Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble_

Kurt took the beginning of the next chorus, a million emotions flowing through him in a whirl too massive to even comprehend.

_No apologies, he'll never see you cry  
Pretend he doesn't know that he's the reason why  
You're drowning, you're drowning, you're drowning_

Sebastian sang the next part, and if he was glaring at Blaine nobody commented on it.

_Now I heard you moved on from whispers on the street  
A new notch in your belt is all I'll ever be  
And now I see, now I see, now I see_

Kurt turned to face Sebastian.

_He was long gone when he met me  
And I realize the joke is on me, yeah!_

Sebastian met Kurt's gaze as they sang the chorus together; cool grass meeting an impossible colour, as they had a conversation they should have had years ago.

_I knew you were trouble when you walked in  
So shame on me now  
Flew me to places I'd never been  
'Til you put me down, oh  
I knew you were trouble when you walked in  
So shame on me now  
Flew me to places I'd never been  
Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground  
Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble  
Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble_

Kurt moved into Sebastian's space as he sang the next two lines; hurt pouring off of him in tidal waves.

_And the saddest fear comes creeping in  
That you never loved me or her, or anyone, or anything, yeah_

Sebastian shook his head as he joined in with Kurt for the last chorus, turning back to the crowd who watched them in near silence.

_I knew you were trouble when you walked in  
So shame on me now  
Flew me to places I'd never been  
'Til you put me down, oh  
I knew you were trouble when you walked in (you were right there, you were right there)  
So shame on me now  
Flew me to places I'd never been  
Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground  
Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble  
Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble_

_I knew you were trouble when you walked in_  
_Trouble, trouble, trouble_  
_I knew you were trouble when you walked in_  
_Trouble, trouble, trouble_

The music died down and turned into heated silence as Kurt glared at Sebastian.

"Holy shit," Blaine whispered, but in the silence of the room it echoed so that everyone could hear.

"Now leave," Kurt growled, finally tearing his eyes away from Sebastian. "Please."

Sebastian nodded, putting the microphone back in the holder and walking across the stage. He turned back to look at Kurt who had his arms crossed, but it looked more like he was wrapping his arms around himself.

Sebastian didn't say anything as he left, the bell ringing on the door as it closed, acting as his goodbye.

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	15. The Hangover

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Hangover

Santana reached Kurt first, putting a tentative hand on his back. Kurt flinched but didn't move away from the comfort, which she considered a win. "Well that was…heated," she said after a few moments.

Kurt let out an ungainly snort, slowly uncrossing his arms and letting them limply hang at his sides. "I don't know what that was."

"That!" Rachel piped up from below them. "Was a beautiful song choice!"

"Yeah," Kurt frowned, feeling pressure building up in his head. "You're an asshole."

She just laughed blowing him a wet kiss. "You _love_ me."

"I hate you," he replied without bite, moving away from Santana to sit on the edge of the stage. The pressure in his head was moving to a steady pounding.

"You look like shit," Santana said sitting down next to him.

"I've been drinking."

She rolled her eyes, "It's a bit early for a hangover don't you think? Quinn!" she called to the long haired girl who was chatting with Artie about music. "Get Kurt here another drink; I think he could use it."

Quinn nodded, and went to fetch whatever she so fancied, placing a calming hand on Puck as she moved past him.

"Yes, Santana," Kurt said, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Let's fix my headache with alcohol."

"Well Sebastian's the one who's causing it," Santana argued. "You need to drink until you can't remember who is."

Kurt laughed. "You give shit advice."

"You know I'm right."

Puck let out a growl and stalked up to Kurt giving the seated boy an agitated once over. "Are you okay?"

"Are you?" Kurt deflected.

Puck rolled his eyes, sitting on the other side of Kurt. "One day I'll get him."

"Remember the whole you can't go back to jail thing?" Santana asked raising her eyebrow. "Yeah, so do I."

Puck made a face but didn't reply to her, continuing his conversation with Kurt. "What was he even doing here?"

Kurt sighed, suddenly craving the drink Quinn was getting for him. "Hell if I know. He's a dick, that's it."

"Fine." Puck growled, "But if he comes near you again, tell me."

"Yes, _father_," Kurt said moving to stand. "Whatever you say."

Puck sighed but didn't move to follow Kurt. He looked at Santana who was watching Kurt sadly before she shook her head and stood up, holding her hand out to help Puck do the same.

"Artie!" she called throwing her arm around Puck's shoulders; standing on her tip toes to do so. "Blast some music! The party isn't over yet!"

And so it wasn't.

Kurt reached Blaine, who was standing next to Tina looking at Kurt with his eyes blown wide in shock. "I-I'd tell you to explain," Blaine said when Kurt stopped walking. "But I'm too drunk and want to actually remember in the morning."

Kurt laughed, accepting an affectionate hug from Tina as he did so. "What makes you think I'd explain?" he asked squeezing Tina tightly.

"Cuz," Blaine answered, his eyebrows drawing together in focus. "This is the _second_ time you two have interacted and they've both ended in poo—"

Kurt raised his eyebrow—he really was sobering up, where the hell was Quinn with his drink?—"Poo?" he asked with a small smirk. "What are we five?"

Blaine shrugged. " 'pparently. But if he makes you cry again, I won't be in control of myself."

Kurt smiled, giving Blaine a small shove. The shorter boy stumbled and frowned running a hand through his hair.  
"You're not in control of yourself now," Kurt laughed.

Tina looked up at Kurt from where she was latched onto his chest. "He made you cry?" she asked, a pout heavy on her lips.

Kurt patted her head resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "No Tina, he didn't make me cry."

Blaine violently shook his head, his light curls flying everywhere. "Lies!"

"Here's your drink," Quinn said appearing out of nowhere and putting a filled to the brim cup in his hand. "I got one for you too, Blaine," she said giving him a cup of his own.

Gently she pried Tina's warm arms off of Kurt, and didn't fight as the Asian girl transferred her hold onto her. "Drink it all," she said, tipping her head towards the cup. "And I promise you won't even be able to remember your own name."

"Is that supposed to be appetizing?"

"_Kurt," _Quinn warned taking a step into his space.

"Fine, fine," he resigned putting the cup to his lips. "I am so going to regret this."

"Why do I need one then?" Blaine piped up, watching Kurt's throat as he chugged the acrid liquid like a champ.

"Because you're his drinking buddy," Quinn replied with a shrug. "Now drink up sunshine."

So he did.

* * *

"Kurt," a voice whispered over his sleeping body. He closed his eyes harder and hoped the voice would go away.

"Kurt," it called again, poking him on his side this time. Kurt didn't flinch; if he didn't move they'd leave, that's what a lot of animals did to make predators leave them alone.

"I think he's dead," a voice said.

"What the hell did you put in that drink?"

"Why didn't you offer me one?"

"Burt's going to be so _pissed_."

"Oh my god, shut up!" Kurt hissed. But through his tired speech it sounded more like "O'me g'd shuddup."

"Well at least we know he's not dead," one of the voices snickered. Through Kurt's slowly dawning consciousness he vaguely managed to I.D. it as Santana.

" 'Tana go 'way, mm sleepin'"

"In the middle of a park?"

Kurt curled into a ball, willing her to leave him alone. "'M not in a park 'm at…" he trailed off, her words kicking his senses into gear. Something was tickling his skin, and if Santana was to be trusted it was grass. It tickled all the way up his sides and down his arm and holy crap he wasn't wearing a shirt! His eyes flew open and he bolted upright. His stomach churned and he barely had time to turn his head before he was vomiting on the grass beside him.

"Ew," someone commented, but it didn't stop Kurt from vomiting some more. And more. And more. When he finally stopped he groaned and crawled back into ball facing the other way.

"Okay seriously Quinn," Santana asked with a hint of accusation in her tone. "What the hell was in that drink?"

"Jesus, Kurt," a deeper voice said putting a warm hand on Kurt's bare back. "Are you okay?"

Kurt just groaned and curled deeper in on himself.

"Do you know hard it will be to get him to drink with us again?" Santana hissed.

"That's what you're worried about?" The voice touching his back asked. "Dude just puked his stomach out, he needs some nutrition or something."

"Finn," Kurt croaked. "If you try to put food anywhere near my mouth I swear to god I will puke all over you."

"He's alive!" Jeff exclaimed excitedly.

"Yell like that again and you won't be," Kurt threatened slowly uncurling himself. "My head feels like there are five midgets wrestling behind my eyeballs."

Someone…Puck, Kurt thinks laughs before saying, "I think he's still a little drunk."

"I'm not drunk," Kurt whined, sitting up with Finn's help, but refusing to open his eyes in fear of the sun. "Just severely hung over."

"You can open your eyes," Santana said from somewhere above him. "It's just before five so the sun isn't out yet."

Kurt groaned but did as she told, slowly blinking his bleary eyes into focus. He was met with five faces all wearing a different emotion and it was enough to confusion to get him puking again. When he finally stopped he wiped his mouth wearily and turned an accusatory glare (weaker than normal in his state, but still quite striking), to Quinn.

"If you make that for me ever again, I will destroy you."

She just laughed lightly, though concern was evident in her eyes. "It's not my fault, you made me make you two more."

Kurt made a face. "I did not."

"Oh my god," Puck laughed looking at everyone. "He totally doesn't remember anything!"

"Yes you did, Kurt," Quinn said gently, placing a calming hand on his knee. "And then you made me take one, _me_ the designated sober person. And then you convinced me to make rounds for the entire house, and things get blurry after that."  
Kurt groaned, putting his head in his hands. He closed his eyes before he opened them again and promptly remembered that he was shirtless in a park. "How the hell did I even get here?" he asked looking around himself, but not recognizing anything.

"We were hoping you could tell us," Finn said gently.

Kurt made to get up, but when it was obvious he wasn't going anywhere by himself, Quinn and Finn helped him to his feet.

Kurt leaned on Finn until the world stopped spinning, and he could breathe again.

"How long have I been out here for?" he asked when he could think through the pounding in his head.

Santana shrugged. "No idea man, we just realized you were gone."

"Okay," he said looking around himself again. "Where's Blaine?" He could have sworn he vaguely remembered leaving the store with the curly haired boy.

"Yeah, that's the thing," Jeff said sheepishly. "We can't find him."

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